N'Golo sprang a 28-1 suprisie to run out a excellent winner of the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park.
Under Gavin Sheehan, the seven-year-old – who had formerly been trained by Irish champion Willie Mullins – eventually turned the prestigious two-mile handicap into a procession, scoring by a comfortable six-and-a-half lengths from 4-1 favourite Severance. Sebastopol (10-1) was a further length away in third with Ingleby Hollow (33-1) another three lengths adrift in fourth.
N'Golo is officially trained by North Yorskhire-based Flat handler Ann Duffield, but it is her assistant Paddy Neville who has mainly been taking care of him.
Neville came over from Ireland last year and brought a number of jumps horses and shares the Sun Hill Farm stables with Duffield in Leyburn. With complications over the racing licence he is officially her assistant trainer.
Duffield, the wife of former champion Flat jockey George Duffield, mostly take cares of the Flat horses with Neville mainly responsible for the jumpers.
And the partnership seems to be working after they were celebrating a big win with N'Golo's smooth success in the Swinton Hurdle.
Neville said: "I thought I would come over and take the licence out for the jumpers, but it was a bit more complicated than that.
"I brought over horses here last year between Perth and Hexham and we had winners and between the travelling costs and everything we said we would stay here with a few. There is just more variety of races here.
"I am looking to either take out my own licence or join with Ann (Duffield) as joint trainers. We are mostly National Hunt and Ann is mostly Flat. Ann has some National Hunt, but mostly Flat. But we are all working together at the moment.
"We may just continue as we are. I am in the assistant role and we are all in it together.
"She is great and George is there. He was champion jockey and is still riding out. He is brilliant and a lot of young fellas would learn from him."
He added: "I have had some big winners in Ireland, Grade Twos and was second in the Kerry National. I was second in a Grade Two in Doncaster and we had a lot of winners.
"But this is great."
Winning jockey Sheehan added: "I am just buzzing for the owners and connections. I thought he ran a massive race here last time (when fourth in December). I thought he had the form and the cheekpieces have helped.
"When I rode him at Kelso I thought dropping him back to two miles and being more positive would suit. I couldn't have been any more positive as they were going a good gallop. I just had to fill him up going into the bend. And then I thought you are on your own. I fired him into the second last and he fired himself after the last. He is tough and did it well.
"I thought he was a bit slow over the first couple, but after that he was better as the race went on."
And on Duffield and particularly Neville, he added: "They do the job well, that is the bottom line."
Aldaary (8-15 favourite) notched up a hat-trick of wins in the Listed Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes.
Willie Haggas’ four-year-old landed two fine handicap successes at Ascot at end of last season and grabbed a first at Listed level on Merseyside.
Under Jim Crowley, Aldaary (2-5 favourite) was sat off the pace in the rear early on in the seven-furlong contest.
But once Crowley asked him to go, he came down and the outside to score by three-and-a-half lengths from Bounce The Blues (11-1).
