SHEPPARD'S REAL DELIGHT

NOCTE VOLATUS winged in to land a gamble in the £100,000 Unibet Veterans' Handicap Chase Final at Sandown Park.

- BY DAVID YATES

A victory at Warwick in November saw the Tom Laceytrained 11-year-old put up to a career-high handicap mark of 135.

But those who braved the freeze in Esher - the fixture had to puss an 8am inspection - weren't put off, backing Nocte Volatus into 11-4 favourite from his morning odds of 6-1.

And Stan Sheppard's mount justified the support with a length-and-a-quarter defeat of trainers' championship leader Dan Skelton's Le Milos, with Gabbys Cross flying home from the back for third.