Jim Goldie, Scotland's leading Flat trainer, once again demonstrated his expertise at the jumping game, too, when he won the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree yesterday with Endless Power.
Goldie, who won the same race last year with Lampion Du Bost, was thrilled to see his plan to repeat that success come to fruition as Endless Power gave a sparkling start-to-finish display of jumping over the Grand National fences to hold off the late challenge of Brooklyn Brownie. Iron Man was third.
Goldie was impressed: "It was always my target for him. James Reveley has been schooling him. I'd like to be able to say I've built a National fence, but I haven't - he's just a natural over these fences. He jumped great and I don't think he missed a trick all the way round. It's great to win the race two years in a row."
The eight-year-old, an 11-1 chance, ridden by teenage jockey James Reveley, hardly saw a rival, but he was very tired up the long run-in and needed all his courage see it out to the line in very tough conditions.
Reveley said: "He was doing ever ything so easily, I couldn't believe how far ahead I was. He loves the track. I had the best ride of my career on him here back in April, but this is even better."
There was another exhilarating display of jumping in the Becher Chase which was won by Irish challenger Black Apalachi (15-2). The nine-year-old, trained by Dessie Hughes, went clear at the water jump after his stable-mate, Oulart, had made the early running.
Last year's winner, Mr Pointment (13-2), tried to put in a serious challenge but the winner pulled away again to win by a distance. Mr Pointment's trainer, Paul Nicholls, was upbeat about Kauto Star, despite the former Gold Cup winner's defeat in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday. Kauto blundered at the third last and then stumbled after the last fence where he unseated jockey Sam Thomas.
He might well have caught the leader on the run-in but there is no way of being sure, as he was already under pressure. The race then became a great duel between winner Snoopy Loopy and runner-up Tamarindbleu, with Exotic Dancer a close third.
Nicholls reported his horse to be "absolutely fine" but "sore" yesterday. "My head lad, Clifford Baker, led him out this morning and said he was 100% fine but just a little bit sore around the hind-quarters, which is not surprising.
"He will now have a little physio and be given an easy two weeks before we tune him up for the King George."
The champion trainer should know best, of course, but the performance did leave the impression that maybe we have seen the best of the great Kauto.
Nicholls suffered further disappointment as Officier De Reserve failed to strike on his trip to Navan yesterday.
Officier De Reserve was sent off the 9-2 favourite for the Troytown Handicap Chase but he suffered an appalling piece of luck five fences from home. He still looked to be travelling well for Davy Russell only for Chelsea Harbour to veer left and force him through the running rail.
That left Notre Pere (6-1) and Operation Houdini out in front and they battled all the way to the line with the former, ridden by Andrew Lynch and trained by Jim Dreaper, coming out on top by a length.
Notre Pere earned a quote of 33-1 with VC Bet for the John Smith's Grand National with William Hill going the same price for Aintree.
Meanwhile, the feature race at Ayr's first jump meeting of the season today is the Scotbet Handicap Chase in which Peter Monteith's First Look ought to go close. However, King Mak (2.45), if he is fit enough for his opening run, could also be a major player.
Selection Ayr 2.45 King Mak
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