Flying Angel won the Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree. Check out our report and reaction from connections and watch the free video replay.
1st Flying Angel 5/1
2nd Cloudy Dream 4/1
Race Report
Flynig Angel maintained his fine Aintree record with a gutsy victory in the Grade One Manifesto Novices' Chase.
A close third to Yorkhill over hurdles at this meeting last year, he hadn't finished outside the first three in two other visits to the Liverpool venue and produced a career best in seeing off the challenge of Cloudy Dream.
The six-year-old had finished sixth in the JLT Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival when virtually brought to a halt by a faller six out but made amends to register his third win over fences and first at Grade One level.
Noel Fehily, riding the winner, took over the running from Frodon on the far side when the front-runner made a mistake.
Favourite Top Notch made a serious error at the ditch that followed but Max Ward and Cloudy Dream both moved strongly into contention.
Top Notch is nothing if not game and clawed his way back to throw down a challenge as the four runners straightened for home.
Cloudy Dream jumped alongside Flying Angel at the final two obstacles but wouldn't be denied, getting trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies' meeting off to the perfect start with a one length success.
The winner was introduced at 25/1 for next year's Ryanair Chase.
Reaction
Nigel Twiston-Davies: "He's very tough, he jumped well and did everything right. What would have happened at Cheltenham when he was so unlucky? All ground comes alike to him, it's wonderful."
Noel Fehily: "He toughed it out well. When Brian Hughes came looming up to me between the last two I thought I was in a little bit of trouble, but I knew my fellow wouldn't stop as he's so tough.
"I thought I was going OK at Cheltenham when he was badly hampered and I just nursed him home, I felt he'd have finished close that day - I'm not sure the lads believed me, but he's proven it today. He's a typical Nigel Twiston-Davies horse, he's fit, he stays, he jumps and he's tough so it's wise to make good use of him."
Cloudy Dream's trainer Malcolm Jefferson: "We're disappointed not to win, especially after finishing second at Cheltenham, but somebody had to be second and he's still run a cracking race.
"I don't know if we'll run him again (this season). There's the Future Champions at Ayr, but I'd have to be very happy with him to run as he's run in two Grade Ones now and I wouldn't want to disappoint him. You can get to the bottom of them running in these big races. You can't say he's run below Cheltenham. He's taken on very good horses again."
Nicky Henderson said of the beaten favourite Top Notch, who finished third: "He's been on the go since he and Charbel and Le Prezien had that battle at Uttoxeter, which is quite a while ago.
"He's had a long season and hasn't run as well as he did at Cheltenham, but he still ran a good race."
