WYE Valley trainer Venetia Williams recorded her 17th win of the year on New Year’s Eve, as French horse Gamaret lived up to its fine wine name by smoothly easing to a winning seasonal and chasing debut at a rain-lashed Newbury.

Charlie Deutsch in the saddle gave the gelding a polished ride and the 5-2 favourite went on to take the Coral First For Horse Racing Handicap Chase by 2 1/4 lengths from Gallic Geordie, having jumped well throughout.

Gamaret, owned by Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds, took a Fontwell maiden hurdle in February and was having his first run since.

Deutsch told AtTheRaces: “The fences are quite big, they went a good gallop and the ground is testing. He handled it really well. He’s a nice horse for the future.”

Kings Caple trainer Williams added: “It was only two miles and first time over fences, two miles at Newbury on more traditional, drier ground would have been sharp enough, so the rain slowed the pace down a bit.

“He is a nice horse, but we mustn’t get carried away as he was running off 115.”

The soon to be seven-year-old son of Coastal Path went off favourite and never looked like disappointing his backers.

Off for nearly a year, Venetia and her team had him spot on and he jumped liked a seasoned pro in the rain softened ground.

It was a second win in two days for the Wyeside yard, with 9/2 shot Easy As That easing to a first win over fences by 7 1/2L at Haydock in the Smalley Decorators Handicap Chase.