ROYAL Vacation was gifted victory after a dramatic conclusion to the 32Red Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton.

Impressive Sandown winner Amore Alato took the field along during the early stages of the three-mile Grade One before the Nicky Henderson-trained Might Bite took over the running heading out for the second circuit.

The seven-year-old produced some bold leaps in the hands of Daryl Jacob and appeared to have the race firmly in safe keeping until he stood too far off the final fence and suffered a crashing fall.

His exit left Colin Tizzard’s 33-1 shot Royal Vacation in a clear lead in the colours of Cue Card and he safely negotiated the obstacle to seal a shock 12-length victory.

The well-fancied Frodon was second when he also fell at the last, leaving Virgilio to fill the runner-up spot ahead of Amore Alato.

Irish raider Anibale Fly was the 3-1 favourite but jumped poorly and Barry Geraghty eventually pulled him up in the back straight.

Winning rider Paddy Brennan said: “I’d have accepted being second. His experience told early because they went extremely quick.

“One thing Colin said to me was to be positive. It’s some performance to win that race.

“I think it was the trip more than the blinkers that helped him.

“Tizzard said: “He ran okay nine days ago and was staying on well that day. He has got lots of experience as a novice.

“Hopefully the other horses are fine. He would have been a good second, but we will take it. He has been all right. We put the blinkers on instead of the cheekpieces as he looks about a bit. He has hardly had a blow and he has just won a Grade One. We will take that. I don’t think we will leave him three months before the Festival, he will have one more run somewhere.

“He has been a good jumper. I wanted Paddy to make the running, but he might not have been fast enough to get there. His jumping is pretty foolproof.”