AINTREE was not kind to Cheltenham winners, with only Pentland Hills following up in the top events, although a number who had failed to complete came good, including Arkle fallers Ornua and Kalashnikov.

Most impressive of the novices over fences was Lostintranslation, who relished the step-up to three miles, one furlong in winning the Mildmay.

Felix Desjy, Champ and Reserve Tank took the honours in the novice hurdles over the three days.

Kemboy

The Betway Bowl saw Kemboy beat King George winner Clan Des Obeaux to make up for his early Gold Cup departure, but Buveur D’Air couldn’t quite master Supasundae in the Aintree Hurdle in similar circumstances.

If The Cap Fits won a stirring battle against Roksana and Apple’s Jade in the Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle, and Min bounced back from his tame Champion Chase effort to make every yard in the Melling Chase, looking better than ever in the process.

Superior

Many of the top performers went on to Punchestown, of course, but the season closed in Britain at Sandown, where Altior confirmed his Champion Chase superiority over Sceau Royal.

Since then, seven and a half months have passed, but we’ve had just three open Grade 1 races, which have seen the coming of age of Lostintranslation, who dethroned Bristol De Mai on his home patch in the Betfair Chase, and the shortest priced loser ever in a British Grade 1 when Buveur D’Air, carrying an injury, was unable to overhaul the brave Cornerstone Lad in the Fighting Fifth.

Most recently, we’ve had a Tingle Creek which lived up to its billing as one of the most exciting contests in the calendar. Defi Du Seuil’s narrow win over Un De Sceaux and Waiting Patiently suggests there are plenty more fireworks to come in the two-mile division, and we look to 2020 with a great sense of anticipation. It surely won’t disappoint.

Moment of the year

IT’S tempting to highlight an hour on Thursday, March 14th as the highlight of the jumps year, a period in which Frodon and Paisley Park won Grade 1 contests at Cheltenham which had emotions overflowing. Looking back now and reliving that afternoon rekindles the raw joy of the occasion, which cynicism should not extinguish.

But, after much thought, that day cedes the higher ground to one at Aintree the following month.

Back-to-back winners of the Grand National are a rarity, and while many of us still remember the incredible feats of the great Red Rum, to fail to recognise Tiger Roll as his natural successor is to this little horse a grave injustice.

Snapped up

It seemed unlikely that Tiger Roll would feature over fences at Aintree when winning a juvenile hurdle at Market Rasen for Nigel Hawke, but there was enough in that win to see him snapped up by Mags O’Toole for the Gigginstown House Stud operation.

Victory in the Triumph Hurdle justified that expenditure, but a loss of form the following year, allied to his owner’s description of him as “a little rat of a thing”, suggested that the son of Authorized had already outlived his usefulness.

His size seemed to count against him as a prospective chaser, and it’s a wonder he got round in the 2017 National Hunt Chase, let alone won, but he’s relished every test since then, and his win in the 2018 Grand National was hugely popular.

Anticipation that he might win again in April was more than just wishful thinking, and sent off the 4/1 favourite, he was always tanking along under Davy Russell, and despite a stumble on landing at Valentine’s which he reprised at the next fence, there were few anxious moments, and he strolled away from his toiling rivals from the last. It was an awe-inspiring performance from a horse whose enjoyment of racing is palpable, and it’s the latter characteristic which has rightfully turned him into an icon.

So, what a wonderful journey we’ve enjoyed with our beloved little rat, as he has proved the portents wrong, developing against all the odds into a top-class chaser, and adding three further Cheltenham Festival wins to his CV, as well as set himself up to match the exploits of Red Rum.

April can’t come soon enough.