Dan Skelton's Bossman Jack ran out a brilliant winner of the Grade 1 Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree from stablemate Soldier Reeves.
The well-backed 11/4 joint-favourite was always travelling well under Harry Skelton and a mistake at the last didn't halt his momentum with the six-year-old running out a five-and-a-half-length winner.
Soldier Reeves stayed on for second at 15/2, just denying Ballyfad (11/4 joint-favourite) the silver medal.
It was a second Grade 1 win of the day for Skelton and his third of the week after Grey Dawning and Mirabad, the champion trainer-elect finishing his campaign in tremendous style.
Bossman Jack had run a good race in sixth in the Turners Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, a mistake at the last proving more costly that day.
This time he had far too much up his sleeve for his rivals.
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Skelton said: “Although he has not been racing that long he has always looked quite good. The mistake at the last at Cheltenham probably cost him second.
"I’m not sure we would have beaten the winner, but it did cost him second.
“There is no doubt that the lack of big race experience counted against him last time out.
“He has a child's brain, but a big engine. He didn’t jump the best on the way around there, but he has got a big engine and it is all ahead of him. He could be very good.
“I trust him to do all the right things as he wouldn’t know how to be bad. He is just a child and hopefully it all just gets easier mentally for him and that he understands it a bit better and his jumping becomes more reliable.
"He could go a long way this horse. I wouldn’t call him Gold Cup class as there is a long way to go, but I think he could be really good.
“I felt like we had him in winning form today.
“I said to Tristan really get him (Soldier Reeves) rolling turning in. I know he has only just turned five, but he will stay all day.
"I think he has a big future ahead of him as well. He is one that you probably stay over hurdles with next season.
"Even though he has had a hardish season he was never going to be over the top as he wouldn’t know how to be over the top. He just wants to run.”
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