NOT everything went to plan in Haydock Park’s £225,000 Betfair Chase but for every loser there is a winner and 33-1 chance Snoopy Loopy made the most of the hot favourite Kauto Star’s exit at the final fence to provide trainer Peter Bowen and jockey Seamus Durack with the most valuable successes of their careers.

A mistake at the third-last fence gave Kauto Star’s supporters a heart-stopping moment but he recovered and, though under pressure from Sam Thomas, he had rallied to join the front-running Tamarinbleu at the last fence. The favourite crumbled on landing and as Thomas walked dejectedly back up the course he could see in the distance another twist in the tale as Snoopy Loopy came with a wet sail to catch the gallant Tamarinbleu to win by half a length.

Bowen said: “Snoopy Loopy looked expensive after we bought him for 120,000 guineas at Doncaster as he sustained leg injuries but he has just needed time and has come back and given me my biggest win. We will enter him for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and we will also have a look at the Hen-nessey Gold Cup.”

Durack, who has had two broken legs and suffered a career-threatening hip injury in May 2005, said: “After my being off so long, this horse has helped me on my way and I will always be grateful to him.” Kauto Star was bidding for his third successive win in the race and his philosophical trainer Paul Nicholls said: “That’s racing, last Saturday we had seven winners. These things happen but it was a muddling race and everything needed to go right. To be fair Ruby [Walsh, who is injured] knows the horse better than anyone, Sam had ridden Kauto Star only once before.

“The horse is a bit stiff, but he is entitled to be and we will have him bang on for the King George [which he has won for the past two years]. Sam thought he would have won today and so do I, admittedly he would have been all out but he was when he won it last year and he still went and won the King George.”

Thomas was cheered at least somewhat when winning on the Nicholls-trained Medicinal later in the afternoon.

Binocular won the Betfair Hurdle under Tony McCoy. Told he was a 4-1 or 5-1 chance for the Champion Hurdle, owner JP McManus said: “He has a bit to do yet to get up there with Istabraq but I have to love what he did today and I think they have priced him fairly.”