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Turgeon is King for Pipe and Tudor

King Turgeon (9/2) provided David Pipe with a second BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase and a first winner over the Grand National fences for his young jockey Jack Tudor as he led home 12 rivals at Aintree this afternoon.

The six-year-old was always prominent throughout contest jumping from fence to fence before taking up the lead for the final time over the last and battling on gamely to win by three lengths.

Idalko Bihoue, Frero Banbou and Richmond Lake, Outlaw Peter and Percussion all threatened at different times before fading and it was King Turgeon who kept going to score with Vintage Fizz back in second and Gaboriot taking third.

Tudor said: “He travelled round real nice and jumped really well. It was great fun. He got passed going down by the Canal Turn but it was good thar I kept my place on the inner and I was able to take a beath and save my energy.

“From turning in to the line, all he has done is keep galloping. He has always been a good jumper, and if he took to these fences that was going to be his asset today. He is a French-bred horse and sometimes they can take a while to adapt and he’s still only six so is probably just starting to come into himself and come round to the British way of racing.

“It was a great thrill to get my first winner over the Grand National fences – they are always good fun to ride over especially when you get a good spin.”

Pipe added from Wincanton: “I am thrilled. It is brilliant for everyone in the yard. This is a massive win on a big Saturday for Pond House and his owners (Somerset Racing).

“We had had this race in mind for him for a while and if he took to the fences like he does to normal fences then he had a chance. He had schooled well over a Grand National fence at home.

“It was a fantastic ride by Jack. He is by Turgeon and they seem to get better with age.”

Topham aim for runner-up

Jedd O’Keeffe, trainer of runner-up Vintage Fizz, said: “That was an absolutely outstanding run for us and really exciting.

“He was given a lovely ride (by Conor O’Farrell) and got into a lovely rhythm. It was a race we had wanted to target for some time and we have got lucky as he is basically a goodish ground horse and in other years he wouldn’t have been so lucky – I think it was heavy last year. We just sneaked in at the bottom and he jumps boldly, as well as athletically and carefully so this was a race we always fancied having a go at.

“The Topham Chase in the spring and this race again next year would be his targets if he gets his ground again. The Becher Chase would be too far for him so he’ll have his holiday now and come back in the spring.”

Sparkling debut from O'Neill rising star

Mister Meggit was halved in price to 20/1 for the Sky Bet Supreme at Cheltenham by Betfair and Paddy Power after making a sparkling winning debut over timber at Aintree.

Beaten only once in three bumper starts last season, the six-year-old cruised through Saturday’s contest under Jonjo O’Neill Junior and when he asked him to put the race to bed after the last the son of Shantou, wearing the Hemmings Racing colours, sauntered four-and-a-half lengths clear of Off The Jury.

Jonjo O’Neill, who trains the winner along with his son AJ, said: “You’d have to be happy with that. That was a nice race and he had a nice run around. He jumped reasonably well and is hopefully something to look forward to.

“He looked good and is an amazing horse in that he doesn’t show you anything at home, but thank God he lights up when he comes racing – the last one we really had like that was Synchronised (the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner), who also showed you nothing at home.

“He is a grand horse really. He is flat out for the first mile and then really warms up – he is nice to watch. We’ll see what’s around for him now – we’ll talk to Mick Meagher (racing manager) and come up with a plan. He’s a nice horse and you’d be looking forward to planning with him.”

A swift move up in class could be on the cards for Mister Meggit.

O’Neill added: “The way he is over hurdles, we’ll stick with that for the moment – he might not need to go chasing! We’ll get over today and see, today was the plan and now we could look at something like the Challow Hurdle.”

Double delight for Hemmings team

The Hemmings colours, famously carried to Grand National glory by Hedgehunter, Ballabriggs and Many Clouds, came to the fore again as Harbour Lake stayed on strongly to land the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at 3/1 for Alan King and Tom Cannon.

King said: “It’s great for them and I’m delighted with this lad today. We tried him over fences last season after he schooled beautifully, but we got him to the track and he just didn’t take to it at all, so he went back over hurdles and ran a couple of solid races.

“We’ve had a clean run with him this autumn and he loves good ground. He’s qualified for the final now and we’ll work back from that, with just two or three runs before then.”

Couleurs rise continues

Haiti Couleurs (5/6 havourite) looks a staying chaser with a future after winning the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed Novices' Limited Handicap Chase with plenty to spare in the hands of Sean Bowen.

Uncle Bert took the quartet along in the early stages under Sam Twiston-Davies but Haiti Couleurs was always in close proximity and was pretty much foot perfect with his jumping the whole way round.

He took it up at the fourth last and never really looked in danger up the straight powering clear to win by 15 lengths.

Successful trainer Rebecca Curtis said: “That was really nice. He jumped well and travelled nicely. He is very versatile as regards ground, he has won on nice ground today and has also won on heavy. In the future, I’d hope he could be a Welsh National-type horse and this season now the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham is a handicap we could look at that in the spring – we’ll see how he progresses.

“He will definitely be better as a chaser than over hurdles. He is still relatively inexperienced so you would hope he would keep improving and progressing.”

Saint scores again at Aintree

Imperial Saint (5/6 favourite) made it two from two over fences and at Aintree running away with the Boylesports Choose Wisely Handicap Chase.

Calgary Tiger and Magistrato set a searching gallop early on and the pair went well clear with Imperial Saint settled in midfield.

Coming to four out, the two leaders still held a handy advantage but jockey Micheal Nolan never pressed the panic button and he cruised into contention two from home.

Micheal Nolan then asked Imperial Saint to go and win his race and he did just that running away to win by eight lengths from Magistrato who clung on for second with Calgary Tiger back in third.

The winner carried the colours of Richard Johnson Racing, the ownership syndicate run by the now-retired champion Jump jockey.

He said: “He has been a lovely horse for us. He was out first-ever runner and has just been a pleasure to deal with. For me, the plan was always to have a horse with Philip (Hobbs) and Johnson (White) and one with Henry Daly.

“We have had a lot of fun with him and I didn’t really expect to have a Saturday horse that would give our owners so much fun. It’s been great for all of us.

“Hopefully he is an improving horse and the handicapper won’t be too hard on him. We’ll enjoy the moment and it’s the trainer’s job to find his next race!”

Joint-trainer Johnson White added: “It’s fantastic to carry on our long association with Richard. When he came here a fortnight ago, a lot of the owners said it was great just to have a runner here so now to have had two winners here is staggering.

“This horse is such a lovely horse to train and so easy to deal with. It’s onwards and upwards from here. He travels well over two miles but I’m sure he’ll improve over further when he needs to go further.”

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