Sire De Grugy returned to form in dramatic style as he landed the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase for a second time at Sandown.

Gary Moore’s talented two-mile chaser won this race and the Queen Mother Champion Chase in the 2013-14, but since then things had not gone smoothly.

However, he continued the tremendous form of his trainer who was completing a treble after the victories of Flute Bowl and Ar Mad earlier on the card — his third hat-trick from the last three meetings at the track.

A stewards’ inquiry was called after Sire De Grugy, a well-backed 100-30 chance, edged out Irish raider Special Tiara by three-quarters of a length, as the first past the post jumped to the left at the last and collided with the runner-up. Vibrato Valtat was third.

Special Tiara, trained by Henry de Bromhead, was the early leader, tracked by Josses Hill and Sire De Grugy before Josses Hill took a crashing fall at the fourth.

Sire De Grugy then took over from Special Tiara at the Railway fences as the pair led from Vibrato Valtat in the build-up to a pulsating climax.

After a tense wait, the placings were confirmed by the stewards and winning rider Jamie Moore said: "It's a lot of credit to the horse, the horse hasn't got a routine any more. He tells us what to do."

Referring to the last-fence incident, he said: “He always jumps left, he’s jumped a bit left again at the last, I thought Special Tiara was going to get by me, but he’s toughed it out. He went again when Special Tiara got to me.

“This horse is my best mate.”