A broken hand prevented any Christmas festivities for Daryl Jacob in the saddle but he relished the first opportunity of 2020 to get back to winning ways.
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's retained jockey won on his only ride of the day, Dragon D'Estruval, at Ludlow this afternoon.
The 3/1 joint favourite tracked the leaders throughout the 3m 1f journey and took over from Another Stowaway at the final fence.
After putting two lengths between them in the Vobe Electrics Handicap Chase, Jacob said he is looking forward to partnering Top Notch at Kempton over the weekend, in the Grade Two contest named after dual King George winner Silviniaco Conti.
"He's a real incentive to get back for and this was the plan after the Peterborough Chase," he told Racing UK.
"It's a shame Nicky's other horse Altior couldn't make the race. He (Top Notch) will have a great chance."
Jacob received a ten-day ban for failing to pull up Dragon D'Estruval in the void Betfair London National last month, with six other jockeys, who won their case on appeal.
His regular mount and last year's third Bristol De Mai is one of 31 entries for the Magners Gold Cup, which were announced earlier.
Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, said: "Bristol de Mai has been pleasing Nigel and is on schedule for the Cotswold Chase at the end of the month, in preparation hopefully for another tilt at the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.
"The idea after the Betfair Chase was to always go Cotswold Chase and then Gold Cup, and Nigel has been particularly happy with him of late.
"There wasn't really a race for him over Christmas, as we did not want to take him to Kempton because he hasn't really fired there for the last couple of years.
"He finished third in the Gold Cup last year and, although he is fairly big odds as things stand, we are looking forward to having another crack at it."
