Aintree review and free video replays from the Randox Grand National Festival

Wise claims Topham revenge

Will The Wise (9/1) had to settle for second in the Sun Racing Plate at Cheltenham as Madara skipped away from him but Gavin Cromwell's charge gained his revenge in the Randox Topham Handicap Chase.

In a typically frenetic renewal Mahons Glory again gave Lee Edwards a thrilling ride over the National fences from the front, only giving way late on as had been the case in the Grand Sefton in November.

Harry Skelton was always to the fore aboard Madara, initially out wide and then switching towards the inside as the race developed. The eye was constantly drawn to Bryan Drew's orange silks but as the race neared the business end, the familiar blue colours of Tony Bloom was another seemingly full of running with Paul Townend biding his time aboard Ile Atlantique.

Both came there with every chance but neither managed to get past Conor Stone Walsh and Will The Wise who hit the front rounding The Elbow.

Madara kept on without ever threatening while Townend's decision to switch to the inside saw Ile Atlantique make late progress without laying a glove on the winner. Last year's winner Gentleman De Mee came from a long way back to finish fourth.

The official distances were one and a quarter lengths, the same and five and a half lengths.

Stone-Walsh told ITV Racing: “Unreal. If I got beat I’d be annoyed as I missed the start. He jumped well and travelled. He’s a good horse and fair play to everyone, the whole team at home.”

Cromwell said: “I supposed we had a little pull at the weights with Madara and Conor claiming the three pounds was a help as well. I thought it would be a perfect fit for him. He stays three miles, but I think he is a real good stayer over this type of trip where you can ride him forward and he is a real good jumper so you are not taking him back. He got a little bit shuffled back in the race today, which I was surprised about, but it was a great result. 

“I thought the King Of Prs was running a lovely race, and he fell, and I also had Addragoole, so I was trying to keep an eye on all three and it was all going well for all of them. I thought Will The Wise was getting shuffled back, but he came home strongly. 

“It is a long way home from The Elbow, but thankfully he stayed on well. He is a very straightforward horse and he is a pleasure to train. 

“You couldn’t rule it out going for a Grand National in the future. He has won over three miles and that type of horse can genuinely stay further. He is still a young horse as well so you never know.”

My second favourite horse!

Storming George (16/1) ran out a surprise winner of a tactical renewal of the Grade 1 ThatPrizeGuy Top Novices' Hurdle.

The six runners were taken along by Sinnatra and Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle second - and 4/5 favourite - Sober Glory but the gallop appeared to be very steady and may not have suited the market leader given the way he rallied for fourth, albeit he was far from his best.

The tempo only lifted at the top of the home straight when Sober Glory jumped to the lead at three out but he was soon in trouble, challenged - and passed - on the inside by Sinnatra and on his outside by Baron Noir.

Storming George was still in third jumping the last but made relentless progress and galloped on resolutely on the run to the line to win by two and three quarter lengths from Sinnatra to the delight of Jack Quinlan and trainer Neil King.

Storming George ran one of his best races when fifth in the Grade 2 bumper at last year's Randox Grand National Festival before making a promising start to his hurdling career this season. He blotted his copybook in the Grade 1 Formby Novices' Hurdle over course and distance at Christmas though and was then beaten in a handicap and seventh in a Grade 2, beaten 25 lengths.

Storming George did, though, come into this race on the back of a confidence boosting win in a Newbury handicap from a rating of just 125.

King said: “I’m just so pleased as he is a horse we have made ourselves. We bought him as a store from Goffs and it has been a fabulous journey with him. He has got the most fantastic owner in Mr Beadles, who also has Lookaway and Rubber Ball, that runs later.

“It is great for Jack as well as he has given him a smashing ride. To be honest I didn’t think we were travelling at all today. I was quite worried for most of the race until three out as I knew he would stay alright. It is fantastic as I pitched him in a Grade One here on Boxing Day and I don’t throw horses in Grade Ones just for the sake of it. He came home sick so we had to put a line through that. The only other day he let me down was in the Grade Two Dovecote at Kempton Park, but we probably just rode him a bit too aggressively that day.

“I just knew he was going to be far better than a handicapper and I was keen to come here for this. I’m just over the moon.

“This was my second favourite horse before today. He is a great fun horse to ride out in the morning. I’ve always thought he was a lovely horse, and I’m sure he will jump a fence as well. I’m sure he will go novice chasing next season, but he has won a Grade On today.

“How can I sum up thirty years of hard work in a sentence. We do this day in and day out, all of us. We are in it for the love of the horse. We love the sport. To get that kind of result is fantastic.”

A delighted Quinlan said: “It was incredible. He was flat out most of the way. He has jumped brilliantly and that has kept him on the heel of the leaders.

“Turning in, when they quickened, I thought he would be third and that would be a really good run, and then I thought I would be second to the Skelton horse and then with one hundred yards to go I thought I’m going to win the whole thing here.

“I’m mighty proud of the horse, and the team at home, and I’m lucky that I get to enjoy these days. All credit to Storming George and to Neil King and his team.

“We are in a lucky position. We haven’t got the quantity, but we have got the quality. I would rather have twenty with a few Storming Georges and Lookaways among them as opposed to forty nought to one hundred horses.

“These days make a season and they are what you are remembered for. You can have ten winners midweek and you have one on a big day like this and everyone remembers it.

“We have loved this horse from day one. Neil pitched him into a Grade One here and Grade Two at Kempton Park.

“Both days he came up short, not through lack of ability, but for whatever reason he wasn’t one hundred percent, but thankfully he came here one hundred percent.

I wish I had more words and I wish I could express to you what it does mean. None of my family were able to be here today, but I have great support in Liverpool from a great family that have sponsored me for many years so this is like a second home. We will give it a good bash to enjoy it and be back here tomorrow.”

Dan Skelton was delighted with the run of Sinnatra, commenting: “It was a great run. Harry got off him at Huntingdon and said run him every three weeks, get him some education and put some miles under his belt as he will man up and learn to become a racehorse, and he has done that today.

“His jumping was very good. Harry held him into the bottom of a few, and he was good for him. If we had got beat half-a-length I would have been annoyed, but fair play to the winner as he has won comfortably in the end.

“I think we have run a solid race and I look forward to going chasing with him. The County Hurdle run put some manners on him. I don’t think the head gear will be there forever, but it is there for now.”

A step up in trip is in order for Baron Noir according to his trainer, Alan King, who said: “He has run great and he has learnt to settle. He probably wants two and a half miles going forward. He is finished for the season and he will go novice chasing now. I might start him over two miles, but he will get further.

"I’m delighted for my neighbour to win the race. He is a great man, and if I couldn’t win, I’m glad he did.”

Tragic end for Gold Dancer

Gold Dancer (10/3 joint-favourite) survived an almighty error at the last to win the William Hill Mildmay Novices' Chase for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins but sadly lost his life having completed the race.

The action in the three mile Grade 1 contest proceeded fairly steadily with little sign of the drama to come. Initially, Gold Dancer, Miami Magic and Regent's Stroll contested the lead with the remainder content to race off their pace.

Miami Magic then dropped off leaving the other pair to control the race with Regent's Stroll on the inside of Gold Dancer and it looked as though the pair would have the race between them when Miami Magic and Wendigo started to struggle and none of the remainder making significant progress.

At four out Miami Magic fell, bringing down Jordans Cross who wasn't out of contention for minor honours although he had appeared to race a little on and off the bridle. Approaching the third last, Doyen Quest and Salver had closed to within around three lengths but it soon transpired that the first two had taken a breather as they kicked again.

Regent's Stroll suddenly looked legless after the penultimate fence whereas Gold Dancer was full of running and only had to jump the last. He ploughed through that obstacle, losing his back legs but Townend never looked like being unshipped and was able to pick the seven-year-old up and gallop to the line to win by four and three quarter lengths.

Having looked as though he could be caught for minor honours Regent's Stroll, to his credit, rallied to the extent that he finished six and a half lengths clear of Salver in third.

Townend dismounted Gold Dancer as soon as he had passed the line and the horse was quickly attended to by the on-course veterinary team but it was soon announced that he had suffered a fatal injury.

Eddie O’Leary, racing manager to Gigginstown Stud, said: "Unfortunately he broke his back and they had to put him down.

“Paul said he made one mistake but that he kept going to the line with no problem, it was only when he pulled up he felt iffy. It was an unbelievable performance as he jumped brilliantly and just made that one little mistake.

"It is a hollow victory now for the poor horse as he didn’t deserve it.”

Paul Nicholls was delighted with the performance of Regent's Stroll despite his defeat, saying: “I’m thrilled with that run. He jumped well and travelled well.

"He needs a trip now. He is going to have a wind operation in the summer, but I’ve known that all along. At two out he just went for his girths a bit, but then he stayed on again. We have got that in our locker [wind operation] which I’ve known for a while that I need to do this summer. He is getting so much better in himself as he is more relaxed and that was a fantastic run.

“I thought he would run well today. I couldn’t do his wind mid-season this season but I’ve known for a while it has needed doing. He hasn't had it done before. He looked to hit a flat spot then picked up again. It was a fantastic run and he loves that ground.

“He keeps improving and I think now we have got him to relax, jump and settle, we will have a whole different horse next season.

“They took each other on a little bit which probably didn’t help but there is a lot to look forward to in the future and he will be more the finished article next season.”

Jamie Moore, stable representative for Gary and Josh Moore, said of Salver: “He is a nice solid horse. The ground probably just dried out a little too much today and maybe he would have been better on yesterday’s ground. We couldn’t quite get into it as the front two were jumping so well.

“He will carry on winning races as he is only six. You would look at a Coral Gold Cup with him, but you never know you might even look at the Grand National. He is a very good horse.”

Wellington claims another victory

Wellington Arch continued the fine end to the season being enjoyed by trainers AJ and Jonjo O’Neill after registering back-to-back wins in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.

Racing off a stone higher mark than when capturing the two and a half mile test 12 months ago, the progressive seven-year-old made light work of that rise in the weights when running out a tenacious winner of the £75,000 contest.

Arriving on the back of a win at Uttoxeter, a race which he finished second in last season ahead of his success at the Merseyside venue, the 6/1 chance was not to be denied on his return to the scene of his biggest victory.

Always prominent in the hands of Jonjo O’Neill junior the Blue Bresil gelded pressed on with Favour and Fortune in between the final two flights, before meeting the last on a much better stride and finding plenty to score by a length and a quarter from the running on Ike Sport.

AJ O’Neill said: “It was a very brave performance from him and Jonjo gave him an awesome ride. He was in a lovely spot all the way through, his jumping might have got a little sketchy at one stage, but Jonjo managed to get him in a nice rhythm and he winged the last.

“It was a really good performance off a considerably higher weight this year than last year, but I think that is a nice reflection of how the horse has improved with age so I’m very happy. We felt he would run a big race, but with the extra weight there is always a bit of a question mark.

"He has strengthened up an awful lot, and he is a great big gorgeous horse, but it is great to see that it is not just looks and that he can do it on the track as well.”

As for future plans Wellington Arch could take in a return trip to the Punchestown Festival.

O’Neill added: “We went to Punchestown last season and we will consider it, but we will enjoy today first that is for sure.”

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Randox Grand National features and previews

• Horse-by-horse guide to the final field
• Punting Pointers: Our Grand National shortlist
• How to pick the Grand National winner and how different is the race now?
• The best Grand National performances on Timeform ratings
• Grand National fences: How they've shaped the race
• JockeyBox: Willie and Patrick Mullins reflections
• Simon Holt: The art of commentating on the National
• The remarkable story of Spanish Steps
• John Ingles: Remembering Red Marauder's remarkable win in the mud
• Alex Hammond Grand National Blog
• Patrick Mullins: National outsider 'catches the eye'
• Who are the main British hopes?
• 2026 Grand National preview podcast
• Dan Skelton: My Aintree squad