MINELLA Drama cemented his love affair with Aintree when he recorded the biggest win of his career in the Grade 2 Old Roan Chase, a race in which he was second last year. An eighth career success, and first at Aintree, the nine-year-old son of Flemensfirth (Alleged) has also been second in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle and third in the Grade 1 Melling Chase there.

The gelding’s trainer Donald McCain has a long and intimate family association with the Liverpool course, while winning jockey Brian Hughes was landing the Old Roan Chase for a third time. McCain, a Grand National winner with Ballabriggs in 2011, gave much of the credit to Hughes for his role in the development of Minella Drama, who also won a Grade 2 at Haydock as a novice chaser, and a listed hurdle race.