Nostringsattached was only sixth turning for home, having been ridden along some way out and having to overcome traffic problems. He kept responding to his rider’s urgings and began to make ground, although he still had plenty to do over the last two fences.

At the last it looked as if No Panic was going to give Peter Bowen his fourth successive win in the race but hard though he tried, he was collared close home by Keepitsecret only for McCoy to appear from nowhere and swallow them both up on the line.

A delighted O’Neill said: “Tony was brilliant, I was watching Keepitsecret and thinking he had come to win his race when AP came flying up on the other side and only he could have got him home.

“But to be fair to Dominic (Elsworth) he gave Keepitsecret a great spin and he came to win his race only to just get done.

“There is a similar race at Newton Abbot next month and both horses could run in that, they are summer horses and there is not a lot left for them otherwise.”

McCoy said: “I was going OK turning into the straight but then I got squashed a little bit and we were further back than we wanted to be.

“He picked up well and that was the plan (to come late) and it is a nice race to win with him, earlier in the season we did not think he would be able to win one like this.”

No Panic was only a neck adrift of Keepitsecret and Bowen said: “He has run a great race, Jamie (Moore) said he hit the front too soon, but he was travelling so well.

“Always Waining has run a great race too in fifth and we will have a look at the Newton Abbot race for them too, and there is also a good race at Foss Las.”