KIM BAILEY'S Trelawne prevailed over Jonjo O'Neill's Iroko in the Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase at Haydock. 

Trelawne previously suffered an early fall at the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, losing to stablemate Chianti Classico, despite going into the bout as a heavy favourite. 

Bailey did reveal his eight-year-old's confidence was knocked by the fall, however, you wouldn't have known it with the performance showcased at Merseyside under the stewardship of Tom Bailey. 

Jonjo O’Neill Junior attempted to play his cards late aboard the similarly promising 11-8 favourite Iroko, who drew alongside 7-2 Trelawne on the run-in, but Trelawne refused to give in and ultimately won the race by a half a length. 

Speaking after the race, Bailey said: "I was delighted with him, we’ve been praying for the rain for a long time. Yes we’ve had our issues, but he’s a very talented individual and he was a grown up horse today. 

"He’s always had the talent and I just think he’s that year older. That fall at Cheltenham frightened him and he was a very sore horse for a long time afterwards, so we gave him a long time to get over it and I just feel he’s come back a different horse from the summer.

"He’s worked well and done everything right. He went to Cheltenham with a great chance, I hated having two runners in the race and when this horse fell I’m afraid I didn’t see the other horse do a whole circuit as I was watching him. I love him."