Gerri Colombe (4-6 favourite) returned to winning ways in the Grade One Air Charter Services Mildmay Novices’ Chase, the opener on Ladies Day at the 2023 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.
And connections are now dreaming of a crack at next season's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which he was cut to 8-1 from 12-1 with Paddy Power after his victory.
Gordon Elliott's seven-year-old had been unbeaten in three chase starts, including the Grade One Scilly Novices' Chase at Sandown, and headed into the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at last month’s Cheltenham Festival as a warm favourite. But he was narrowly denied by The Real Whacker when beaten a short head in the three-mile Grade One contest at Prestbury Park. But again sent off the market leader he was back in the winner's enclosure. He gave two-time Grand National-winning jockey Davy Russell, who is set to go back into retirement after the meeting, a welcome Aintree Grade One success. Russell, who will partner Elliott's Galvin on his final ride in the Aintree showpiece on Saturday, had Gerri Colombe just sat off the pace set first by outsider Sholokjack – until he fell – and then Dan Skelton's Galia Des Liteaux. As he dropped away on the turn for home Gerri Colombe began to get closer and took over in the lead over the second last fence. He powered clear of his rivals and after a big, bold jump at the last scored by seven-and-a-half-lengths from the staying-on Complete Unknown (8-1) with Bronn in third.
READ MORE: Full list of final 40 runners for the 2023 Grand National
Elliott will saddle six runners including one of the market leaders, last year's third Delta Work, in his bid for a record-equalling sixth victory in the Grand National on Saturday. And on Gerri Colombe's win, he said: "He's a good horse. We were disappointed after Cheltenham. We felt he was the best horse in the race and that proved it today. He's a horse to be excited about next year.
“We were happy the whole way but he is a good horse. We were disappointed we got beaten (at Cheltenham) as I think we were the best horse in the race and that proved it today. He is a horse to look forward to next season. We are looking to the future now, Cheltenham is over. The horse was good today, but he hasn’t done much wrong in his whole career.
“I was happy the whole way as he travelled well everywhere. I was actually happier that we got a lead for longer (when Galia Des Liteaux skipped clear). That’s the dream in this game (the Gold Cup). He looks like he has all the potential and is one to look forward to.
On giving Russell another Grade One success before he ends his career in the saddle, Elliott added; "Davy has been a big part of my team since I started training and we’ve been friends since we were 16 or 17 years of age. I didn’t want him to finish on the note that he did at Cheltenham. I wanted him to finish on a high."
Russell came out of retirement to help Elliott out at Cheltenham with Jack Kennedy out injured. But he had a disappointing week before he himself was stoof down before his intended ride on Conflated in the Gold Cup. The trainer hoped Russell who continue riding for a bit longer so he could go out on a high. And continuing in the saddle at Aintree, Russell said: "Gordon was the instigator. I was finished and he wasn't happy with me finishing the way I finished. I was done, I was finished – again! And he wasn't happy with the way the ending was and he said he wanted me to ride here. That's great. All your life you're trying to please trainers and owners, put yourself out there and let them know you're the person for the job.
"It's a tough sport, there are no pats on the back at all - you're up, you're down, you're in, you're out. You never get a pat on the back, you just have to keep moving on to the next day. When someone as high-profile as Gordon gives you a pat on the back or kick in the backside that you need, that's the part of your career you have you make it work.
"I'm lucky that for the last couple of years Gordon has been behind me all the way, and his huge team of staff."
Fennor Cross (8-1) gave trainer John McConnell a first victory at the Grand National meeting with taking the William Hill Handicap Hurdle in good style.
The six-year-old has won twice at Cheltenham earlier in the season and was pitched into Grade One company in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at last month's Festival. He finished 11th of the 14 behind Marine Nationale. But dropped back down to handicap company, Fennor Cross was back to winning ways in good style. Under Ben Harvey, he was always travelling well and cruised into the lead coming the final flght. He stretched clear and won by two-and-three-quarters-of-a-length from Buddy One (8-1). Sonigino (18-1) was a further four-and-a-lengths back in third with Tritonic (22-1) a further neck adrift in fourth.
McConnell and Harvey teamed up for Cheltenham Festival success last month with Seddon and the trainer said: "It's easy this game isn't it! Cheltenham was a mess for this horse. We'd hoped to run him at Musselburgh, but he had a little issue which meant he didn't get his fourth run in to qualify for the handicaps and the only race he was in was the Supreme. He wouldn't have run a bad race in that but made a mess of the third-last and his race was over.
"We always felt going up in trip would suit him and it went really well. Ben gave him a beautiful ride. He handles most ground and has turned into a proper horse. I don't know what the plan is because I think there's unfinished business on the Flat as well."
