BETWAY MERSEY NOVICES’ HURDLE (GRADE 1)

THE Randox Health Grand National meeting is a true festival these days and there were three more Grade 1 races on Saturday, starting with the Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle over two and a half miles.

Victory went to Tom George’s Black Op, who just got the better of a sustained duel with Colin Tizzard’s Lostintranslation, coming out half a length in front, with Dan Skelton’s Momella three lengths away in third.

On his second to Samcro in the Ballymore at Cheltenham, Black Op might have started favourite here but went off at 3/1 perhaps due to form of the George horses. Punters instead went for Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten On The Blind Side, backed down to 11/8. The latter had not raced for several weeks and soon dropped out as pressure was applied.

Noel Fehily sent Black Op to the front but it was never going to be easy as Lostintranslation harried him all the way to the line. Black Op eventually saw it out well on the heavy ground.

“It was a tough performance here and this is a stepping stone towards his career as a chaser,” George said. “That will be when he comes into his own.”