A review of the rest of the action from Aintree as Impaire Et Passe and Murcia gave Willie Mullins and Paul Townend the perfect start on day one of the Randox Grand National festival.
Mullins and Townend strike in Aintree opener
As was the case at the Cheltenham Festival last month, it was more of the same in the opening race of Aintree's Randox Grand National Festival as Impaire Et Passe gained a second course win with a ready success in the Manifesto Novices' Chase.
The well-backed Jango Baie, sent off the 6/4 favourite, was held up by Nico de Boinville just in behind the leaders, with Gidleigh Park (7/1) making the early running ahead of Rubaud and Croke Park.
Meanwhile, last year’s Aintree Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe (9/4) was held up off the pace, jumping better in first-time cheekpieces than had been the case when beaten at Leopardstown in February.
The race started to hot up before the turn for home and it was Impaire Et Passe who moved up stylishly on the outside three fences from home.
He jumped the last two obstacles well under Townend and had enough in hand from the rallying Gidleigh Park and the running-on Jango Baie to record a ready success despite being closed down late on.
Boombawn ran well back in fourth for Dan and Harry Skelton.
Reaction from connections
Simon Munir, who owns Impaire Et Passe along with Isaac Souede, told ITV’s Matt Chapman: “We decided to bypass Cheltenham and bring him here fresh and it’s paid off.
“He jumped beautifully and Paul [Townend] had him in a nice position all the way through the race.
“He could be a Ryanair horse – anything from two-and-a-half to three miles.”
Following his win, Impaire Et Passe was cut to 33/1 from 50/1 for the King George VI Chase by Paddy Power.
Winning rider Townend added: “He travelled and jumped brilliantly and I only ended up on the outside as he jumps a little right.
“He was brave two out but I didn’t want to land in front and he did the right thing for me.
“It was all very straightforward.”
On Jango Baie, his rider Nico de Boinville said: " It's beautiful ground out there and I'm delighted with the run.
"He will step up in trip to three miles next season."
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Murcia dominates in Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle
Mullins and Townend only had to wait 35 minutes for a second winner of the meeting as Murcia (11/4) made most of the running to land the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle in facile style.
The filly was only eighth behind Puturhandstogether (6/4 favourite) in the Fred Winter last month but reversed that form in style, with the Joseph O’Brien-trained favourite only third behind Live Conti (16/1) who ran a fine race on just his second start in the UK.
Give It To Me Oj (28/1) ran a clear career-best back in fourth for Gary and Josh Moore.
Reaction from connections
Winning owner Kenny Alexander told Racing TV: “I'll need to watch it again, but she just never stopped – she has an enormous engine.
“We didn’t expect that, but she absolutely hosed up.
“The Cheltenham run was ok but today was just something else. She must have improved by a stone on that run and perhaps it was the faster ground today that suited.
“We are thrilled.”
Mullins added: "She’s not the biggest and she’s been disappointing me all winter – especially as she wasn’t the cheapest purchase - but she liked the sun on her back and the drying ground here.
"The underfoot conditions and the light weight were key to her. Carrying big weights has been tough on her this season.
"We will think about Punchestown and then Auteuil, now, she’s certainly improving and we are delighted with the great start to the week."
Dan Skelton, trainer of runner-up Live Conti, said: "I was surprised at how much pace he showed throughout the race as he’s national hunt bred.
"He doesn’t look like a four-year-old but he's only going to get stronger and go chasing further down the line.
"He will stay hurdling next year, and maybe it will be hard to win, but we’ve got to take the long-term view with him.
"We’d rather take that extra year and make sure we’re getting it right further down the line."
Harry Skelton added: "He had very little experience but he's a nice horse."
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsGracchus De Balme makes most in Foxhunters’
Cheshire point-to-point trainer Joe O’Shea won the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase for the second time as Huw Edwards steered Gracchus De Balme to a 22/1 success.
Always up with the pace along with runner-up Jet Plane (11/1), Edwards’ mount was headed after the last but regained the lead approaching the elbow and showed plenty of determination to fend off the runner-up by a length and provide his trainer with a second win in the race after the 66/1 success of Cousin Pascal in 2021.
Lifetime Ambition, who was sent off a well-fancied 5/1 chance, stayed on for a never-nearer third ahead of My Drogo (5/1) in fourth.
The 4/1 favourite Willitgoahead held every chance on the outside turning for home but could find no extra late in the day.
Reaction from connections
O'Shea told Matt Chapman on ITV Racing: “We knew six months ago – we made a plan – the money was on and I said’ Thank you God we’ve won this’ as he passed the Grand National start in front.
“This means a lot more because where we are in Cheshire everyone is a hunting person and it was a shame that no one was here when we won it in 2021 as it was a Covid year.”
Winning rider Edwards added: "My grandfather rode in 12 Grand Nationals and it’s great just to have a ride in races like this.
"Joe [O'Shea] has done great with this horse and I’m just lucky to be on him.
"It was brilliant – I can’t believe it."
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsPlan comes together for Sans Bruit in Red Rum Chase
Sans Bruit (5/1) set out to make all the running in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase as he had when victorious 12 months ago and rewarded backers with an almost identical performance, coming clear of runner-up Calico (10/1) after the last.
Though Bryony Frost was the winning rider last year, it was Harry Cobden who took the ride on the Paul Nicholls-trained runner this term and the success looked on the cards from a long way out as he was able to get a fairly easy time on the lead before skipping clear late on.
It was a close-run thing for third, with Inedit Star (18/1) - who attracted support at big prices - just edging out Gunsight Ridge (28/1) who was never far away from the pace.
Reaction from connections
Winning owner Andy Peake told Racing TV: “Coming into this race he has been spot on, he was back to his winning mark and everything said he could run well.
“It looked like he was enjoying himself – he doesn’t need to lead but he was able to sprint away there.
“Today was a plan that’s come together and fair play to Paul Nicholls who has got him spot on for the day and Harry Cobden who has given him a peach of a ride.
“I’m one happy owner!”
Winning rider Cobden added: “It was brilliant wasn’t it?
“He’s been busy this winter, some good some bad, but he’s come back here on the right mark and it’s a good bit of training.
“We didn’t get hassled and I was able to make my own race and get a breather in here and there.
“He isn’t the easiest ride but he was brilliant at the last and he’s a proper two-miler.”
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsFirst visit to Aintree a winning one for Paddy Twomey
Seo Linn rewarded favourite backers in the last when landing the Goffs Nickel Coin Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race - as well as her trainer’s decision to walk the course before racing.
An impressive winner at Cheltenham in November, the Paddy Twomey-trained mare was sent off the 15/8 favourite and travelled well throughout.
She hit the front two furlongs from home and though La Conquiere (22/1) looked a big danger late on, she found more close home to win by half a length.
The front-running Kingston Queen (14/1) was third, ahead of Queen Kate (50/1) in fourth and St Jessica (80/1) in fifth.
Reaction from connections
Twomey told Racing TV: “We walked the track and we’ve had a good day
“She’s a nice filly and we could only run in one more bumper and we thought this race would suit.
“She will be a good filly on the Flat and she will start in a maiden and go through the grades and there’s a good staying programme.
“We came here hoping she would do her thing and she did. She’s learning as she’s going and she’s improving.”
Winning jockey Billy Lee, who is better known for his exploits as a Flat jockey, added: “It’s been a grand day.
“We just wanted to jump and be handy and she didn’t really drop the bit the whole way round.
“I was worried she was doing too much but she’s all heart and once I let her down she found and found when the second came to me.”
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