Sussex horses scored a one-two in the big race of the night as jump racing took centre stage at Lingfield Park.

Gran Turismo and Sir Dante got their acts together to fill the first two places in the Bet Direct Handicap Chase.

At 16-1 and 10-1, the stable companions, trained at Storrington by Richard Rowe, posted a £152 straight forecast but only the most optimistic of punters would surely have collected.

Both horses have promised much throughout their careers and all too often failed to deliver. But they got it right at Lingfield.

Gran Turismo, a horse who has hit the deck more often than he has come home in front, took the £7,400 first prize, relishing the faster ground after a winter sloshing through the mud.

It was his biggest success since joining Rowe in 1998 when the trainer regarded him as one of his most promising horses.

Now an eight-year-old, the horse has been beset by jumping problems but the Lingfield success was his third.

He won at Fontwell last season and was then beaten a short head at Folkestone after a series of slow jumps cost him the race.

But all went smoothly for jockey Leighton Aspell at Lingfield as the horse settled well at the back of the field before making steady progress from half way. He went on at the second last and pulled clear for a nine-length success.

Sir Dante was a clear second but had no chance with the winner, who is more than capable of winning when his jumping holds out.

It was a sound enough run by the runner-up but the 10-year-old has fallen a long way short of the high hopes held for him as a chaser.

Sir Dante was a classy hurdler and looked like going on to big things over fences. Despite five successes, he has failed to fulfil expectations and his last victory, at Kempton, came 18 months ago.

However, he has plenty of ability and the Lingfield run showed him to be in good form. With a bit of leniency from the handicapper he is more than capable of getting back in the winners' enclosure.