Russian Bill got up on the line to deprive Court Tycoon on the line in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hamdicap Chase in Roscommon.

The pair fought out a battle after the last with Court Tycoon holding a very slight advantage but the 7/2 favourite was driven home by Sean Flanagan right on the line.

He won by a head from the 7/1 runner-up. Bellgrove (14/1) finished third, some 11 lengths off the joust for first.

Noel Meade said: "He likes soft ground and it slowed the rest of them down.

“He hasn't really showed us an awful lot over fences so it was nice to see him coming back and winning something.

“Even though he was favourite I didn't really think he'd win to be honest and I didn't think he had won even at the line!”

Russian Bill's last victory came in January 2015.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson