James Best shines as Pilgrims Bay pounces for BetBright Chase glory

Pilgrims Bay created a 25-1 surprise as he strolled away to a cheeky success in the BetBright Chase at Kempton.Racing from bottom weight of 10st 2lb for trainer Neil Mulholland and jockey James Best, Pilgrims Bay was passed over by most punters as he boasted just one win in five starts over fences.Settled at the back of the field through the early stages, it was Annacotty and Cocktails At Dawn who were cutting out the early gallop, until the latter fell at the fence in front of the stands first time around.Double Shuffle duly took up a more prominent role, but Best was happy to bide his time and let the key names play their hands before moving smoothly into contention at the top of the straight.As last year's winner Theatre Guide kicked for home and Double Shuffle went with him, the ice-cool Best sat virtually motionless between the two horses, finally giving his mount the signal after the last.Pilgrims Bay responded in style, cruising home by half a length from Double Shuffle, with Theatre Guide back in third.Best said: "It's days like this that mean so much, this is the biggest day of my racing career. You've no idea how much it means and how grateful I am to be given an opportunity on a day like this."He travelled with ease the whole way through, but you can never be confident he will go through with it. I still got there too soon really, but he was good and he went through with it today."There was a slight blip in the celebrations as Best was unshipped shortly after the line.He added: "I'd done celebrating, I was trying to pull him up. I delivered him as late as I dare, with the fact he is so quirky, and sure enough he's dropped his shoulder - you have to expect the unexpected with him."