Aintree reports and free video replays | Grade 1 honours for Kalif Du Berlais

Partnering Kalif Du Berlais (15/8) in the colours of the Hales family, the pair enjoyed themselves at the head of the five-strong field.

Chief market rival and Arkle fourth L'Eau Du Sud shadowed him throughout and moved onto the leader's coattails in the straight. However, Harry Skelton never appeared to be as happy as his colleague who bided his time before asking Kalif Du Berlais to put the race to bed.

L'Eau Du Sud had no answer to his rival but Kalif Du Berlais was full of running, responding superbly when asked for a big jump at the last and he only needed to be kept up to his work to win by three and a half lengths.

Brookie, under an intelligent waiting ride, came through to pick up the pieces in second with the remainder coming home at intervals.

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls said: “We ran him at Sandown over two and a half because they didn’t want to take L’Eau Du Sud on. John [Hales] had just died. It was probably a bad decision. I’d have loved to have run him in the Arkle because I think he would have gone very close, but he came here fresh.

“He’s a very smart horse and I thought he’d win today. That’s me dreaming but he’s a very smart horse and he’s been working great, he’s maturing - the world’s at his feet. I’d like to think he’s a real Champion Chaser for next season. And it’s such a great way to end the season.

“The horses have come right; we’ve had some proper horses run well this week, so next season will be really exciting. Wonderful horses for the future and it’s really exciting for us.”

Cobden added: “Jumping was the name of the game there, and he was foot-perfect all the way round. He winged the ditch and I was a bit brain-dead on him to the last, but he stood long and quick. He’s very forward-going - he’s what you want, he’s an out and out galloper.

“I can’t believe how much he’s improved this season. He’s one that we’re really excited about. Two and half miles isn’t an issue either. His last run was disappointing, but I don’t think he was right and we can put a line through that.”

Cave digs deep for Tudor

Deep Cave (28/1) came from off the pace to win the opener to provide trainer Christian Williams with a winner from his only runner at the Randox Grand National Festival.

Building Bridges helped set a strong pace in the three mile handicap hurdle and he and Darlan got racing a long way out, extending their lead to around six lengths rounding the turn into the home straight.

Darlan's petrol began to run out approaching the third last at the top of the straight but Building Bridges was still in front, just, at the last. He was soon passed by Timmy Tuesday but no sooner than he got to the front, then the distress signals came from the saddle.

In contrast, Deep Cave put his head down and was staying on powerfully under a Jack Tudor drive and ran on to win by a length.

Timmy Tuesday held on for second, half a length ahead of Double Powerful with Park Of Kings a head back in fourth.

Catch Him Derry was fifth having been slightly hampered by the fall of Bill Joyce early on the final circuit.

Deep Cave was winning for the first time in six starts since joining Christian Williams from France and the trainer told Racing TV: "We didn't have anything for Cheltenham and we've only come here with one horse this year so for him to go and win is great.

"His owners have been patient all year, give him a little break to freshen him up. We thought it would be nice on better ground, probably taken us a lot of the year to figure the horse out. He's going to be very special over fences next year.

"He won a novice chase in France so he's not a novice but he'd be, hopefully, starting off next year over fences."

Asked if he always thought he was going to get there, Tudor said: “I did, actually, yes.

"I thought jumping two out… we’ve ridden him a bit more on the pace before and found when he gets there, he doesn’t do too much. Whereas I was happy today that I had something to aim at all the way from two out. I didn’t think we went a mad gallop early doors, but got going down the back and got racing up in front turning in – it’s worked out nicely."

Cruz in control again

Cruz Control (10/1) reprised last year's success in the Freebooter Handicap Chase for Tom Lacey and Stan Sheppard.

Largely out of form in the 12 months since, Lacey revealed that he had changed Cruz Control's routine to try and get the spark back and he was on his toes at the start once the red hood was removed.

Docpickedme jumped off in front with favourite Imperial Saint in close attendance and the latter took over with a circuit to run on this first attempt over three miles. He was still there at the top of the straight but was flanked by both Richmond Lake and the eventual winner with both seemingly going better.

Imperial Saint lost his pitch and didn't have a lot of racing room as Cruz Control edged across to the rail but the winner was always moving slightly better. Richmond Lake dropped out quickly as Cruz Control went clear.

Erne River emerged from the pack to give chase but was never getting there and was run out of second by a rallying Imperial Saint while Sheppard was already standing up in his stirrups and saluting the stands having crossed the line five lengths clear.

Lacey said: "Delighted to be able to get him back on track because he completely lost his way. He hasn't run a race. He ran okay in Punchestown but Stan said to me after Punchestown that he's proper tired and I think it's taken him up to now to get him back on song.

"We've mixed it up at home. He's been up the mountain and along to the beach and jumping the Aintree fences at Lambourn just to try and mix it up and sweeten him up. I'm just delighted for Frank and John [owners], they're great supporters of mine, unwavering support through hard times and great to get a nice winner for them.

"It turns the whole season around and reinforces the point that we can do it given the ammunition. I'm fortunate that I've got great owners but it's been a long winter."

Sheppard said: “He hasn’t been in the same form he was in last year, not even close to it, but he obviously likes a bit of sun on his back. Tom has done a great job with him; he hasn’t rushed him when he knew he wasn’t right, he didn’t run him. It’s a great team effort to get him back here.”

On back-to-back wins in this race, Sheppard quipped: “I wouldn’t mind if he tried to do it next year as well, it would be even better!

“On Boxing Day at Wetherby he jumped like a bag of spanners, which is so unlike him, and it was after that we found the ulcers, and everyone’s worked really hard to get him into such good form again. It kills me to say it but that was a great training performance from Tom! We said last year we just need to get big one; last year we got two, and this our big one today.”

Philip Hobbs, who trains Imperial Saint in partnership with Johnson White, has big plans for his progressive charge next season.

“He’s been progressive all year, winning three here, and that was another step in the right direction," he said.

"Hopefully there will be more to come again next season. He has to go left handed and he might start in the Paddy Power, as he’s effective over two and a half."

Splendour shines on National day

How do you come down after winning the Grand National?

The answer for Patrick Mullins was producing an ice cool ride aboard Green Splendour (10/3 favourite) in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open NH Flat Race.

Destination Dubai was going better than most but if Kielan Woods had paused to glance to his right, he'd have seen Mullins motionless about Green Splendour, trained by his father, Willie.

Destination Dubai deserves fulsome credit as Green Splendour didn't pull as far clear as looked likely but the result was never in doubt.

Koktail Brut, who, like the first two, was always prominent, took third ahead of Swingin Safari.

The official distances were two and three quarter lengths, four and a quarter lengths and half a length.

Willie Mullins said: “Green Splendour has improved a lot since his last run, where he disappointed me.

"That was possibly a bit of a sprint, so Patrick was careful to keep the pace on from the start, making the running early on and keeping a good even pace. The drying ground probably helped too and Patrick just kept him together, kept him balanced, and kept his stride going. Then when he had to get down and ride him the horse did what he was supposed to do.

“Impaire Et Passe [who won the opening race on Thursday in the same double green silks of Simon Munir & Isaac Souede] seems so long ago. We thought with both that we wouldn’t go to Cheltenham unless they had a chance, and the decision was vindicated by having two winners here.”

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