The opening night at the Olympia Christmas show developed into a Whitaker family benefit, with John Whitaker savaging the opposition to win the feature event by the merest slither from brother Michael, and also teaming up with his 17-year-old daughter to win the family pairs relay.
John Whitaker, who had what he described as his "worst ever fall" at Berlin last month with the veteran Welham, had the same horse tuned to perfection for last night's marathon barrage. With Peter Charles' early clear in 30.86 as the target, Whitaker set sail with Welham and, defying all the natural laws of gravity, audaciously angled the penultimate upright to stop the digital clock on 29.99 to an almost hysterical reaction from the crowd.
Two horses later in a 16-way jump-off, younger brother Michael attempted to upstage his sibling but, even though it seemed that Two Step had done just enough, the minutest fraction ticked on before the pair broke the beam on 30.06.
It wasn't enough to depose the senior Whitaker, but it was enough to slice £300 off Peter Charles' winnings as he was pushed down to third. Charles had earlier picked up £150 for a slow clear with Nusria in the Christmas Candle speed stakes to boost his day's haul to £1,150.
But there is plenty more cash on offer at the five-day meeting.
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