John Queally was a relieved man after Getaway Katie Mai justified her position as the 15/8 favourite to win the closing race at Aintree on Thursday.

Ridden by Jamie Codd, the five-year-old Getaway mare beat the Alan King-trained Midnightreferendum by a length and a quarter.

Queally, who won the Aintree Hurdle with Al Eile in 2005, 2007 and 2008, said: "She's the form horse in the race and those form horses are expected to win, so I'm relieved.

"She stays well and has the speed to get there. There's not a lot of her but she has quality. She's a lovely mare."

Asked what the future held for Getaway Katie Mai, Queally replied: "She'll probably go hurdling, but she has the option of running on the Flat too. I would look at it for her. She's not short of pace."

Unfortunately for Codd, he was hit with a 17-day suspension and fined £400 when the Aintree stewards found him in breach of the whip rules. The Wexford jockey was found to have used his whip above the permitted level after passing the wings of the second last.

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