REDDITCH trainer Ian Williams was in the winner's enclosure as Bodega won at Newbury on Saturday.
The nine-year-old bay gelding travelled smoothly throughout the 3m 1f handicap chase before jumping into the lead three out and extending away from his rivals between the last two flights to win by eight lengths from second horse Call Me Vic.
Bodega, in a first time tongue tie to go with his cheek pieces, bagged more than £12,500 in prize money for owner Paul Williams and connections.
Williams said: "The horses are flying. This horse loves good ground and Tom's (Tom O'Brien) given him an exceptional ride early on. He's given him some confidence because he was brought down last year and that's why we kept him to hurdles.
"It was a big ask to come back to Newbury but he's given him a chance early on, got him jumping well and he loved the ground and bowled away nicely at the end."
Bodega's success was the first leg of a Saturday double for the Portway-based trainer as Gambol later landed a handicap hurdle at Stratford.
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