FIRST trained in Northern Ireland, Blaklion and Definitly Red impressively landed the two graded races at Aintree last Saturday.

The Gavin Sheehan-ridden Blaklion comfortably justified 7/4 favouritism in the Randox Health Becher Handicap Chase (Grade 3) over three miles, two furlongs of the National course.

Recording his ninth victory from 24 starts on the track, the eight-year-old Kayf Tara gelding was winning for the first time since beating one-time stable-companion Shaneshill by half a length in the RSA Chase (Grade 1) at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.

When claiming his point-to-point maiden as a five-year-old at Tinahely in January 2014 under the now retired Steven Clements, Blaklion was trained for Wilson Dennison by Colin McKeever and is one of the many Loughanmore graduates now in the care of Nigel Twiston-Davies who half-likened his winner to the great Red Rum.

WINNER’S ENCLOSURE

Blaklion has locked horns in the past with Definitly Red, most recently when the pair finished second and third behind Bristol De Mai in the Charlie Hall Chase (Grade 2) at Wetherby last month, and the eight-year-old Definite Article gelding also visited the winner’s enclosure on Saturday following his success in the Many Clouds Chase (Grade 2).

Ridden by Danny Cook and trained by Brian Ellison, the chesnut scored by seven lengths from fellow joint-favourite Cloudy Dream whose rider, Brian Hughes, had earlier won the two and a half mile handicap hurdle on Black Ivory.

Definitly Red was trained by Brian Hamilton for the Checkmate Syndicate when, on his third start, he won the second division of the four-year-old maiden at Loughanmore in October 2013. Since joining the Ellison yard, he has now won 11 times, his five wins over fences being stamped by his brilliant jumping.

There was a further boost for the northern point-to-point scene at Aintree as the Ian Williams-trained Gas Line Boy, who landed the concluding Grand Sefton Handicap Chase under Robbie Dunne, won a six-year-old geldings’ maiden at Largy in April 2012.

Other northern-connected winners on Saturday included Benbens who, in the colours of Blaklion’s owners Sarah Such and Gino Paletta and also trained for them by Nigel Twiston-Davies, won the Betfair London National at Sandown. Ridden by amateur Zac Baker, the 12-year-old Beneficial gelding was bred by Patrick Collins out of the Over The River mare Millicent Bridge.

At the same track on Friday, the in-form team of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden won the two and a half-mile handicap chase with Trevor Hemmings’s Presenting gelding Touch Kick.

The six-year-old was bred by Aaron Metcalfe out of the Broadway Flyer mare Bay Pearl whose 2012 gelding Slate House (also by Presenting) has won both of his starts over hurdles including the Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) at Cheltenham last month.