Replay - Melling Chase

Voy Por Ustedes (11-8 favourite) was given a fine ride by Robert Thornton to land the Melling Chase at Aintree.

Nacarat, under AP McCoy, looked the winner from two fences out but Voy Por and Thornton refused to give up, bringing Schindlers Hunt with him.

McCoy's horse faded but Voy Por, beaten odds-on favourite in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, just had enough to hold off Schindlers Hunt (16-1) by a neck.

Nacarat (4-1), a rapidly-improving grey, had to be content with third.

Winning trainer Alan King said he was "nearly in tears" after watching his horse win the two-and-a-half mile chase for owner Sir Robert Ogden, whose other leading steeplechaser, Exotic Dancer, died at the course on Thursday.

"My God he's tough and what a great ride by Choc [Thornton]. He needed a big jump at the last and got it," said King.

"I'm chuffed for the whole team, particularly for Sir Robert after what happened yesterday. It's been a tough time. When he got beat at Cheltenham it was disappointing for everyone, but this is wonderful.

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"He'll never shirk it. He put his head down and really battled. I'm proud of him and he's very special. He's been a wonderful horse to me and the whole team."

Earlier, Dominic Elsworth produced a fine ride on El Dancer to win the Top Novices' Hurdle.

Elsworth has lost the ride on Darkness in Saturday's Grand National despite the doctor passing him fit to ride on Friday, but showed there were no ill effects from a shoulder injury sustained at Towcester last Thursday.

The Lucy Wadham-trained five-year-old (14-1) produced a stunning injection of pace between the last two flights to rush past 11-4 favourite American Trilogy and Somersby.

Killyglen put a disappointing display at Cheltenham behind him with an authoritative victory in the Mildmay Novices' Chase.

Howard Johnson's seven-year-old acted well on the better ground, Denis O'Regan steering the 7-1 chance to a nine-length win over Shining Gale, with Siegemaster third.

Irish Raptor, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by Paddy Brennan, won the Topham Chase over the Grand National fences with a terrific display of bold front-running. The trainer said the horse had developed into a course specialist who was sure to be targeted at next year's National.

And Ogee produced a surprise win in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle for trainer Renee Robeson and jockey Jimmy McCarthy.

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