The three-day Aintree Grand National Festival began with the G1 Juvenile Hurdle where Mange Tout took the honours for Elliott and Kennedy. The daughter of Born To Sea bypassed Cheltenham for this and she stuck on well on this better ground to see off favourite Selma De Vary. Next race up was another G1, the Manifesto Novices Chase over two and half miles. The winner here was the Henry de Bromhead trained Koktail Divin ridden by Darragh O’Keefe. Short priced favourite Lulamba coming here after finishing third in the Arkle unseated Nico de Boinville at the tenth fence.
The opening day feature, the Aintree Bowl did go to the Henderson/Nico combination making amends to a degree when Jango Baie won sixteen lengths after his valiant effort in the Gold Cup, beating the Skelton trained Protecktorat. The other Grade 1 race on the card was the Aintree Hurdle which saw Brighterdaysahead defeat The New Lion by two and a half lengths. It looked to some that the runner up was going to prevail but made a mistake at the last under Harry Skelton, the Major was not of that opinion.
The Foxhunters was won impressively by favourite Barton Snow who followed up his Cheltenham victory easily by seven lengths Inder Harry Crow. The Red Rum Handicap Chase went to Ryans Rocket who ran no race last time out at Kempton for Fergal O’Brien and johnny Burke, while the Bumper for Mares went to the Skelton trained Nans Choice.
Day two saw three more Grade 1 races, the first being the Mildmay Novices Chase over three miles. The winner was Gold Dancer for Gigginstown, Mullins and Townend who disputed the lead four from home and went clear approaching the last fence. Sadly, he sprawled on landing and looked to have recovered on the run in and the winning distance was nearly five lengths. However, on pulling up, it became apparent the horse was injured and in distress. The vets put him to sleep having the opinion he had broken his back on the landing side of the last. Awful for all concerned. Awful.
In the G1 Top Novice Hurdle we saw the Supreme Novice Hurdle runner up Sober Glory sent off a short price jolly. However, the winner was Storming George for trainer Neil King and jockey Jack Quinlan. A great result for the smaller owners, trainer and jockey. It was no fluke and they have a serious horse on their hands for next season. In the Melling Chase the Betfair Chase winner Grey Dawning saw off the gutsy Irish challenger Solness who many thought would not get home over the two-and-a-half-mile trip. He just failed here by a neck and made the winner pull out all the stops. Grey Dawning was so brave here but his trainer conceded post-race he was just below Gold Cup standard. A smashing horse he is and credit to him.
The Sefton Novice Hurdle for the stayers was taken by the Joseph O’Brien trained Zeus Power ridden by JJ Slevin who was just touched off in the Melling Chase. The Major thought the eventual third and favourite Johnny’s Jury was the horse to take out of the race.
Wellington Arch for the O’Neil’s took the Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles again following up last year’s win. The Topham Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences was won by Irish raider Will The Wise for Gavin Cromwell and Conor Stone-Walsh. The boys from the emerald isle also took the Conditional/Amateur Handicap Hurdle thanks to Laafi trained by William Durkan and ridden by Patrick O’Brien.
Grand National day arrived and in the race itself JP McManus looked to have a strong hand including last years winner I Am Maximus. After reports of a £100,000 bet @ 8/1 being struck on the aforementioned I Am Maximus his price tumbled down to 9/2 favourite and he obliged in the great race under top weight of eleven stones, twelve pounds. Congratulations to JP, Wille and Paul. A great effort under that weight. Just for good measure JP owned runners also filled the runner up spot and the fourth placed horse.
The first Grade 1 of the day saw a surprise when the Skelton winning machine took the Maghull Novices Chase with Mirabad ridden by Tristan Durrell who saw off the Willie Mullins trained favourite Salvator Mundi. The Mersey Novices Hurdle saw another Skelton inmate Bossman Jack take the honours readily from stablemate Soldier Reeves. This victory was a follow up to a very creditable effort in the Turners Novice Hurdle at the festival. The final top-level race was the Liverpool Hurdle which saw Stayers Hurdle winner Home By The Lea complete the Cheltenham – Aintree double at the ripe old age of eleven!
The staying handicap hurdle went to Wade Out for Olly Murphy ridden by Gavin Sheehan on his first ride back after suspension. Dan Skelton also took the Freebooter Handicap Chase and the concluding bumper on the card ridden by Heidi Palin.
So, on the day Dan Skelton trained 4 winners, 2 seconds and a third. The Prize money collected today saw him crowned as Champion jumps trainer for the first time. It won’t be the last! Well done to all involved, a great achievement.