All the action from the second day of the three-day Grand National meeting at Aintree. Michael Hourigan's Hi Cloy held off Fota Island to win the John Smith's Melling Chase, Friday's feature race.
The 14-1 shot, under Andrew McNamara, won by three-quarters of a length from Tony McCoy's mount. Mariah Rollins completed an Irish clean sweep.
Nicky Henderson's mare Liberthine won the John Smith's and Spar Topham Chase, amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen adding to his win in the Fox Hunters' Chase on the opening day.
Paul Nicholls' Star De Mohaison won the first race of the day, the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase, to complete a Cheltenham-Aintree big race double.
And Jonjo O'Neill's Black Jack Ketchum, ridden by Tony McCoy, romped home in the Citroen C6 Sefton Novices' Hurdle to complete a second Festival double and remain unbeaten.
The Sportsman Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f)
1. Strangely Brown (B Byrnes) 10-1
2. Saltango (W Kennedy) 16-1
3. Penny Pictures (T Murphy) 40-1
4. Zipalong Lad (P Brennan) 16-1
24 ran
1655 Betfair.com Handicap Chase (3m 1f)
1. State of Play (P Moloney) 22-1
2. Lacdoudal (R Johnson) 13-2
3. Aristoxene (M Foley) 40-1
4. Model Son (A McCoy) 5-1 Jt Fav
18 ran
1620 John Smith's Imagine Appeal Top Novices' Hurdle (2m 110y)
1. Straw Bear (A McCoy) 2-1 Fav
2. Conna Castle (B Geraghty) 9-2
3. The Duke's Speech (J Maguire) 100-1
16 ran
1545 John Smith's and Spar Topham Chase (2m 5f 110y)
1. Liberthine (S Waley-Cohen) 16-1
2. Hakim (P Brennan) 13-2 Fav
3. Pak Jack (T Murphy) 25-1
4. Dunbrody Millar (J Moore) 16-1
29 ran. Dist: 1�, 5
Sam Waley-Cohen completed a famous double over the National fences when he steered 16-1 shot Liberthine to success in the John Smith's and Spar Topham Chase.
Amateur jockey Waley-Cohen took the Fox Hunters' Chase on the opening day and Liberthine stayed on well to win by one and a half lengths from favourite Hakim.
Pak Jack, ridden by Timmy Murphy, was a further five lengths back in third.
1510 John Smith's Melling Chase (2m 4f)
1. Hi Cloy (A McNamara) 14-1
2. Fota Island (A McCoy) 4-1
3. Mariah Rollins (R Walsh) 40-1
11 ran. Dist: �, 13
Hi Cloy held off the late thrust of Fota Island to take top honours in the Grade One John Smith's Melling Chase.
Under Andrew McNamara, the 14-1 winner was made to work hard for his victory as Fota Island stayed on grimly under Tony McCoy.
However, the Michael Hourigan-trained winner dug deep to prevail by three-quarters of a length, while Mariah Rollins was a further 13 lengths back in third.
1435 Citroen C6 Sefton Novices' Hurdle (3m 110y)
1. Black Jack Ketchum (A McCoy) 8-13 Fav
2. Money Trix (A Dobbin) 12-1
3. Neptune Collonges (C Williams) 8-1
11 ran. Dist: 5, �
Black Jack Ketchum became the second dual Festival winner of the afternoon as he destroyed his rivals in the Citroen C6 Sefton Novices' Hurdle.
Jonjo O'Neill's runner strolled home in the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the seven-year-old repeated the trick under Tony McCoy.
Although the 8-13 favourite clattered the second-last flight, McCoy only had to push him out for a five-length success over Money Trix, with Neptune Collonges back in third.
1400 John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase (3m 1f)
1. Star De Mohaison (B Geraghty) 11-4 Fav
2. Turpin Green (A Dobbin) 8-1
3. Copsale Lad (M Foley) 8-1
15 ran. Dist: 2,2
Star De Mohaison galloped his rivals into the ground to complete a big-race double in the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase.
Paul Nicholls' 11-4 favourite also won the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Barry Geraghty took it up at the 11th fence and he held off the late challenge of Turpin Green by two lengths, with Copsale Lad the same distance back in third.
MMIX
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