The gelding, ridden by Graham Lee, scrambled home by a nose from Singzak with The Bells O Peover just three quarters of a length back in third.

"Fairytales do happen and this has to be the happiest day of my life," said McLintock, who is based in Newcastle. "This horse nearly bled to death and he was only hours away from losing his life. It was thanks to the skills of the team at Glasgow Vet School that saw him pull through.

"He hadn't raced since last October so we were only dipping our toe in the water today – I didn't dare think further ahead. To win was beyond our wildest dreams. We'll see how he comes out of this but it was always the plan to go hurdling so that's what he'll probably do."

Lee is now unbeaten in four rides on Ann Duffield's Just Lille who landed her 17th career win in the St Andrews Timber And Building Supplies Claiming Stakes. He completed a 340/1 treble aboard Jim Goldie's Hawdyerwheesht in the Black Jack Racing Musselburgh's No. 1 Bookmaker Handicap.