Murphy's law at Aintree
It wasn't all about the Grand National at Aintree today. There was a top quality six race card for punters to enjoy at the Liverpool course. Timmy Murphy, who would later ride Comply Or Die to glory in the National, guided the well-fancied Al Eile to his third Aintree Hurdle after winning the renewal in 2005 and 2007.
The John Queally-trained gelding outpaced fellow 11-4 co-favourite Osana to claim a comfortable 10 length victory.
Tidal Bay followed bucked the trend of Cheltenham winners coming a cropper at Aintree by claiming in the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase. Denis O'Regan's mount won the Arkle last month and was sent off as a short-priced favourite. He justified punters' faith by going away from the Paul Nicholls-trained Takeroc in the closing stages.
However, the Champion Trainer was celebrating soon after when Ruby Walsh expertly guided home another favourite, Forest Pennant, in the driving rain to take the John Smith's Extra Cold Handicap Hurdle. It was the jockey's sixth winner of the three-day meeting.
Earlier, the grey Pearl King took the first race of the day. It was Richard Johnson mount's first appearance on the track since May.
After the feature race, 25-1 outsider Endless Power took the John Smith's Novices Handicap under James Reveley. Keith Mercer rode the last winner of the festival, the bumper, on 14-1 shot Honest John.
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Posted by jamesmcb – 9 Apr 2008, 12:17 PM
Well done to Timmy Murphy, he's been through a lot and he deserves all the luck in the world!