Aintree review and free video replays from Randox Grand National day at Aintree

Treble tops for Skelton

Dan Skelton completed a 955/1 treble on the Randox Grand National card as Mr Hope Street ran down Lookaway to win the William Hill Handicap Chase.

Following the Grade One wins of Mirabad and Bossman Jack, the 4/1 chance travelled powerfully under the trainer’s brother Harry for much of the contest.

However he was ridden to throw down his challenge to the runner-up going to the last and the pair settled down to fight out a pulsating finish from there.

There was little more than the head winning margin between them at any stage.

"He is a good horse but mid-season he had a hind high suspensory injury, but it was just a flare and nothing more than that. It just meant we had to back of him. He was ready last week, but I only had one week in hand and that was it. Everything had to go to plan.

“I took him for a day out three weeks ago where he just literally had a canter around a point-to-point to get a sweat on when he got off the lorry. It was really necessary as it put him spot on. It is remarkable how it is all just coming together today.

“Harry gave him a beautiful ride as he doesn’t do a lot when he hits the front. He is named after the Hope Street hotel so sometimes it is just meant to be in life. I always knew there was going to be mistakes as he is only a baby as he had only had three runs over fences. I knew there was going to be the odd mistake in there, but luckily they were not too big a ones.

“I said to Harry when he went out there that if you are going to win just get there late. I think he gets three miles, but not quite three miles and two furlongs.

“Polly, our head girl who looks after him and rides him, has come up here for three days. She has nearly given herself liver failure and I’d say if she hasn’t done that in three days she will accomplish that tonight!”

Wade Out, weighed in for Murphy

Olly Murphy saw his decision to put the chasing career of Wade Out on hold rewarded with an impressive display in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle on the Grand National undercard.

Last sighted finishing sixth in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival the Shantou gelding looked a different proposition in first time blinkers in the £75,000 event.

Racing much more enthusiastically than he has done all season over fences the 18/1 chance, who is part owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, turned what was a competitive contest into a one horse show.

Moving on past Eagle Fang, who took the field into the home straight, the Listed winner chaser was not for stopping under Gavin Sheehan, who drove his mount out up the run in of the extended three mile contest to collect victory by eight and a half lengths.

Murphy said: “I thought he would win the National Hunt Chase and he laughed at me. We have come back over the smaller obstacles and put a set of blinkers on him and he has turned a big competitive field handicap into a rout.

“It surprised me in the fashion how he won, but he is a horse that has always had a lot of ability and those blinkers have certainly helped him.

“I thought our other horse Hold The Serve had a lovely mark but Sean (Bowen) said he thought he didn’t quite stay.

“I’m not shocked he has won as I said to my assistant this horse is going to run well today. He was just on a going day.

That was great and to train winners for great people. It is magic as you want to have winners here and it is important when you have a yard the size of mine.”

And while Murphy has Grade One winning staying hurdler Strong Leader among his ranks he admits that Wade Out could be campaigned along similar lines next season.

He added: “I would say we will definitely stay over the smaller obstacles now. He is not overly big, even though he won his point-to-point, and around Cheltenham over fences in November, but it is probably a big effort in fairness.

“He is going to get ten pounds for today, which would take him up to one hundred and forty five, so we will train him for those graded types of races and take it from there.”

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