WYE Valley trainer Venetia Williams celebrated a third successive weekend of success as Djelo came through the wind and rain on Saturday to win the £80,000 TrustATrader Peterborough Chase in Cambridgeshire’s Fens.

Djelo under Charlie Deutsch lapped up the Huntingdon mud to turn what looked a competitive race into a procession, coming home 6L clear of 6-4 favourite Protektorat.

Starting at 2-1, Djelo led from Nickle Back for much of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, before the latter stopped suddenly, leaving Protektorat and Ginny's Destiny to challenge.

But the duo were unable to put the King's Caple mount under any pressure, as he safely negotiated the last two fences to ease home, with Ginny's Destiny third a further 7.5L back in third.

Gripping her hat to stop it blowing off in the winner's enclosure, Williams said: "He’s so clever at the obstacles – whether it’s long, short, tight or whatever he’s so quick and he’s such an intelligent horse.

"I’m so thrilled; thrilled for his owner, Pete Davies, for Charlie, who has ridden him beautifully, for the horse and for Care, who looks after him and rides him all the time. It was a wonderful performance.

“He was third at the Cheltenham Festival in the Turners, and he won three races last season, but he has been progressive ever since his attention has turned to fences, so let’s hope that is continuing.

“I’d like to think we’ve got two great flagbearers in the three-mile division with Royale Pagaille and L’Homme Presse and it’s great that this horse is stepping up to somewhere near that sort of level.”

The victory was six-year-old Djelo’s first since he landed a Grade 2 novice chase at Ascot last year, since when he has placed in the likes of the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, the Haldon Gold Cup and the Turners.

Deutsch said: “I’m really pleased for the horse because he’s gone so close in some good races but hasn’t won for a while.

"I didn't really expect it to go like that at all really, he jumped really well throughout the race and travelled well."

Meanwhile, L'Homme Presse is on course to make his return in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day after placing fourth in last year's Gold Cup.