Epatante's dead-heat with Not So Sleepy frustrated Aidan Coleman at snowy Newcastle.
The top jockey said he asked the 11-8 favourite to challenge a little too soon in the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
Epatante jumped into the lead from Not So Sleepy at the final flight, only for her rival to claw back the deficit up the run-in.
The pair hit the line together – and the judge could not separate them in the photo finish print.
"I kind of wasn't going as well as I'd have liked at the back of two out and I ended up making a mistake really because I committed her and I shouldn't have done," Coleman told ITV Racing.
"I should have held onto her and nursed her a bit but look she dug it out well."
The rider, impressed by Cheltenham Festival candidate Jonbon in the same JP McManus colours on Friday, added that conditions were not ideal for Epatante.
Strong winds and snow prevailed at the track after Storm Arwen hit the UK.
Epatante is 10-1 (from 14-1) with Paddy Power to regain her Champion Hurdle crown at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
Current title-holder and ante-post favourite Honeysuckle returns at Fairyhouse tomorrow.
"Considering she (Epatante) wasn't very comfortable the whole way, she jumped brilliant, the back operation has really worked on her," Coleman added.
"She really, really tried and showed a lot of tenacity today because from turning in up the straight when it was really getting a bit tough and ground with snow on it is quite gluey and hard work she was really struggling.
"I'm not standing up for myself but I think that's why I was forced into committing a little bit sooner than I wanted, but we got half a result anyway so very happy."
Nicky Henderson nominated Kempton's Christmas Hurdle as the next step for Epatante, a race Not So Sleepy's trainer Hughie Morrison feels may come too soon for his charge.
“What a horse. He won as a two-year-old on the Flat and here he is winning a Grade One coming into his 10th year," he said.
"We’ve trained him basically for this race since he ran in the Chester Cup (in May), where I felt he had a huge amount of weight.
“He’s quite a challenge at home. My head lad rides him at home all the time and he actually went on holiday yesterday.
“This summer the horse has turned the corner actually and Johnny (Burke) gave him a brilliant ride today."
Aye Right (5-1) emerged from the gloom to win the Listed Betfair Exchange Rehearsal Handicap Chase.
Run in a snowstorm, the race saw Harriet Graham's stable star hold the late challenge of Good Boy Bobby by a head.
The bad weather led to the cancellation of Bangor's meeting, as areas of the track were unsafe for racegoers, but Wolverhampton's went ahead after three inspections.
Officials will check the tracks at Carlisle and Leicester before their scheduled Sunday fixtures.
