Then 20 minutes later at Catterick, Wuxi Venture put a poor display on his debut over fences behind him with a convincing success in the Wakefield Beginners’ Chase.

The 16-1 chance made steady headway under Padge Whelan to challenge the leader Farlington at the second-last.

Wuxi Venture soon took his measure and despite hitting the last fence, ran on to record a comfortable length-and-three-quarter victory.

Fahey said: “I haven’t a clue what was the matter last time (when pulled up at Ludlow). I actually thought it was suspicious and reported it to the Jockey Club. He was tested and they said he was all right.”

Fahey’s Classical Ben took the concluding Huddersfield Standard NH Flat Race, which was run in a blizzard, to round off a good day for the trainer.

He said: “Things are going well – that’s two and a half winners today!”

There was drama in the final race when the leader, Flight West, swerved on to the chase course in the home straight, giving his jockey Paddy Aspell some anxious moments.

But he need not have worried as the gelding cleared the third-last fence in style before being pulled up.

That left Classical Ben and Gary’s Pimpernel to fight out the finish, with the former proving the stronger in the testing conditions to land the spoils by a neck.

Bourgeois, a smart staying handicapper on the flat, opened his account at the second time of asking over hurdles in fine style in the opening race.

Tim Easterby’s seven-year-old was sent off the 9-4 favourite for the two-mile Halifax Novices’ Hurdle and his supporters had few worries as the market leader led at the second-last before stretching clear to score by six lengths from early leader Merryvale Man.

Bourgeois had finished a well-beaten seventh on his jumps debut over two and a half miles at Wetherby nine days before, and appreciated the shorter distance.

The winning trainer was represented by his father, Peter, who said: “He needed the run last time and it was two and a half, but he doesn’t get two and a half over hurdles. He should do on his flat form.

“But we couldn’t make our minds up which was his best trip on the flat – he ran well over any trip.”

Bourgeois did not initially take well to jumping, as Easterby explained.

He said: “I schooled him at home and I hardly dare run him. He jumped that moderate at home, but he has jumped well today.

“We’ll continue over jumps with him – he’s too highly-rated on the flat.”

Mexican was another to get off the mark over jumps when the Micky Hammond-trained five-year-old put up a polished display in the WL And Hector Christie Memorial Trophy.

Wilson Renwick restrained the 11-2 chance in the early stages of the two-mile novices’ handicap as The Tallet set a decent pace considering the rain-softened ground.

Off the final bend, Mexican was full of running and soon taking sprinted away to win in good style by six lengths from Tiger Frog.

Hammond said: “We’ve found an ordinary race and if the handicapper doesn’t over-react we’ll find another one.

“Considering he has only just turned five he’s done well to carry 11st 12lb round here.

“He showed promise on the flat for Clive Brittain and in all honesty over jumps he hasn’t done a lot wrong.

“He’s been fourth twice, he found the ground too quick for him at Haydock and he fell at halfway at Musselburgh last week. He was going all right but he just came down a bit steep.”

Bushido raced clear from the third from home to take the Leeds Handicap Hurdle for Bingley trainer Sue Smith in the hands of conditional jockey Paul Madden.

“That’s my fourth winner, my third for Sue and Harvey and my second win on this horse – I won on him at Hexham,” said Madden.