First Flow cast aside ground fears and resumed his progression with a tenacious success in the Coral Hurst Park Handicap Chase.

Having rattled up a hat-trick over fences at the end of last term, the eight-year-old gelding picked up where he left off to complete doubles for Kim Bailey and David Bass.

Despite making plenty of mistakes throughout the two-mile-one-furlong prize, the 3-1 shot met the last on a good stride before knuckling down to defeat recent course scorer Amoola Gold by a neck.

Bailey said: “I’m staggered really. David Bass and I were trawling through the programme book half way through this afternoon to find somewhere else to go, as he wants heavy ground and (David) said he won’t be able to jump out of this. He just can’t jump at speed.

“How has he managed to win that, as he has jumped appallingly the whole way round and all he has done is stay. Quite honestly I didn’t think he had an earthly chance today, and neither did David Bass.

“I’m thrilled for his owner Tony Solomons. He is my longest serving owner – he has been with me every year, bar my second season – and he is just a fantastic man and deserves every winner he gets. I think the only fence he jumped properly was the last. It was horrendous to watch, but that’s him as he is an oddball.

“He has got no right to be as good as he is, but that is his fourth win on the trot. He is an extraordinary horse.”

Imperial Aura got the ball rolling for Bailey and Bass with victory in the Grade Two Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase.