Hot favourite Vautour was a shock faller as God's Own claimed one of the most significant victories of his career in a dramatic renewal of the JLT Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.

All eyes were on 1/5 market leader Vautour as he looked to follow up his impressive success in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, on his first visit to the Merseyside track.

For the early part of the Grade 1 feature all was going well for the Willie Mullins-trained runner, as he cleared his fences in perfect fashion.

But that picture was not to last as after flicking through the top of the ninth, he parted company with Ruby Walsh, leaving Clarcam out in front, a position he held to the second-last.

As Al Ferof and God's Own moved on, it was the Tom George-trained runner who asserted going down to the final fence, opening up a race-winning advantage.

Although his stride shortened late on, the winning line came in time with the 10/1 scorer getting home with two and three-quarter lengths in hand.

A delighted Paddy Brennan said: "I'm so pleased to ride one (Grade One winner) for Tom George. He's been a massive supporter. This horse is not the easiest of rides and I'm sure there's been plenty of times I didn't get it right, so it's nice to get it right today. He's a spring horse and he's been beautifully trained. I can't believe I've won."

Part-owner Max Fawbert said: "We're pretty happy, it was fantastic. I'm sorry Vautour fell, but we're over the moon with our horse. He keeps hitting the crossbar. His Cheltenham run in the Champion Chase (finished fourth) was fantastic."

George said: "He's won a Grade 1 already in his career and people forget about him a lot. There's been a lot of hard work from everyone at home, and Paddy, and it's great to get it right on the big day.

"Paddy has been very consistent and has ridden for us a long time. We love working together and enjoying big days like this."

God's Own is now likely to make an appearance at the Punchestown Festival.

"He's not easy and is probably better going left-handed. Paddy has got to know him very well and it's all come right for us today," George added. "I'd think he'd definitely go to Punchestown as long as the ground is similar to today or better. He's a very fresh horse and we can't run him in the middle of winter on very heavy ground. We'll see how he is but my inclination is he'll be be going to Punchestown."

Vautour was quickly to his feet and actually passed the post a long way ahead of God's Own but Ruby Walsh was nursing a sore arm afterwards and did not ride for the rest of the day.

BALLYOPTIC WINS

Walsh was replaced aboard Bellshill in the Grade 1 three-mile novice hurdle by Patrick Mullins and the partnership looked sure to win only to veer right in the closing stages, allowing the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyoptic to snatch victory under Ryan Hatch.

Although fluffing his lines at the second-last, the Willie Mullins-trained favourite still looked the likely winner, holding a comfortable advantage over the last.

However, as Bellshill wandered late on it allowed Ryan Hatch to galvanise another head of steam from the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyoptic (9-1) to get up by a neck.

It was another notable victory in what has been a breakthrough season for 3lb claimer Hatch, who triumphed at Cheltenham aboard Blaklion in the RSA Chase and on Flying Angel in Sandown's Imperial Cup.

Hatch said: "The horses are flying at Nigel's, he's got some real good ones and I'm just lucky enough to be on them.

"The horse was very gutsy. I didn't meet the last running, but he has got going again and he's really stayed the trip. He's obviously a very nice horse.

"He was very keen in his last couple of runs, but in a better race he's settled. He was a joy to ride really. It's a fantastic place to ride a winner, I'm having a great season and I owe a lot to Nigel."

Twiston-Davies said: "It's brilliant. He's a lovely horse and he's improving like mad. We had no idea how good he was. He'd won his two hurdle races before really well and he's proved he's a top horse. He's obviously special.

"The owners have only just bought him, so they've had a quick return on their money.

"Thistlecrack won this race a year ago, so if we can follow in his footsteps even slightly it'll be good.

"Chasing is his future, but let's look at long-distance hurdles next season to start off with."

IRISH SUCCESS

There was just one Irish-trained winner on the day, Willie Mullins saddling Bacardys and Battleford to fill the first two places in the Grade 2 bumper. Patrick Mullins rode the winner.

Entering the closing stages, a re-run of the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival threatened to take place, as the Mullins duo together with Ballyandy moved on to fight out the finish.

Despite travelling well, Ballyandy backed out of the equation around a furlong from home, leaving the stablemates to battle it out, a verdict that was to go the way of Bacardys (15-2) by half a length, with debutant The Minch running a cracking race in staying on a length and a half away in third.

NATIVE WINNER

The Punchestown Festival could also be on Native River's agenda after he ground his rivals into submission in the Betfred Mildmay Novices' Chase.

The six-year-old chalked up his third victory of the campaign - and a first in Grade 1 company - when going one better than in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last time out.

Making use of his assured stamina, Richard Johnson wasted no time in getting Colin Tizzard's runner to the head of affairs in the three-mile-one-furlong event.

Although looking a sitting duck approaching the third-last, with Blaklion, Un Temps Pour Tout, Henri Parry Morgan and Ballyalton all still to play their hands, the 11-2 winner was in no mood to surrender his lead.

While most in behind failed to find as much as seemed likely, Native River kicked on again on the run down to last, and after clearing it with another bold leap, he powered up the run-in to score by three lengths from Henri Parry Morgan.

Tizzard said: "I've entered him for the novice chase at Punchestown. He's in good form and he's only a novice for now.

"If he had been beaten here, we wouldn't think of going but he's in good form like all my horses. You have to keep running them when they are in good form. There is plenty of time when they're not in good form, but I'll have to get round the owners.

"It was a fantastic ride by Richard Johnson. He got on the horse whose main aptitude is staying, so he made it hard work for them in behind.

"This ground was right up his street. All he does is stay. He's not very fast."

SHOCK WIN

Party Rock landed a 33/1 surprise when making it third-time lucky in the Alder Hey Children's Charity Handicap Hurdle.

A faller two out when in with every chance two years ago, Party Rock was sixth 12 months ago and finally managed to lift the prize after only recently returning to action after 11 months on the sidelines.

Sean Quinlan had the Jenny Candlish-trained nine-year-old close up right from the start, before he moved smoothly into the lead two out.

Champagne At Tara briefly looked a danger, but Party Rock galloped all the way to the line to score by five lengths, with Starchitect a head away third. Sky Khan was fourth.

"We thought he was jinxed coming here the last couple of years, so it's just fantastic. He's one of those horses that just gets under your skin. He's fabulous," said the in-form Candlish.

"He's become one of my favourite horses.

"When he ran in this race and fell it took him a long time to get over it and then we think he struck into himself last year.

"We were looking more to the three-mile handicap, not because we wanted to step him up in trip, but because he wasn't guaranteed to get in either race. We kept him in this and it's just brilliant."

TOPHAM STRIKE

Eastlake made it third-time lucky over the Grand National fences after ending a spell in the doldrums to claim the Crabbie's Topham Chase.

With only two completed starts to his name this season, the Barry Geraghty-ridden 10-year-old showed what he can do on a going day when carrying the famous green and gold silks of his owner JP McManus to glory in the Grade 3 handicap.

In a race which saw favourite Bishops Road depart at the first, it looked as though last year's runner-up Fairy Rath was going to go one better, having seemingly got the measure of most of his rivals with the jumping complete.

Although the 22-1 winner travelled much the stronger he took time to warm to the task and it was only inside the final 100 yards of the two-mile-five-furlong affair that Jonjo O'Neill's charge edged on to take a four-length success.

Geraghty said: "He was brilliant. He stuck in a short one at the third-last, which was him being cleverer than me, but all the way through the race he was jumping almost too well and I was getting involved sooner than I wanted to be.

"He pinged the Canal Turn and I had a great ride through the race. The ground has improved and he enjoyed it, but he's just a natural.

"There's been modifications to the fences, but it's still about jumping. They're big fences and there's been plenty of horses caught out by them. They might not be as severe as they were, but they're still a massive test of a horse."

McManus said: "Barry gave him a great ride, he was happy all the way round.

"AP (McCoy) said he's the type of horse he'd ride in the National, and Jonjo's done well with him to be fair, he's had his problems but we're delighted with him today."

McManus has a number of chances in the National itself on Saturday, led by last year's fifth Shutthefrontdoor, who will be ridden by Geraghty.

He added: "He ran a great race last year, but he was a bit free having not had a run before it. If we don't get too much rain, he'd have his chance."

O'Neill said: "He's a great horse really and he's a full-brother to More Of That.

"He's never won over further than two miles before, but he jumps great and everything went according to plan. He deserved that. He's had his problems on his way but he's a real honest horse and jumps for fun. He gave Barry a great ride."

Trainer Nick Gifford said of Fairy Rath: "I was told this morning that my late father won this race 50 years ago to the day (on Walpole for Ryan Price) and coming to the last I thought 'come on'.

"We were beaten by a class horse, just like we were last year. He's just short of top class, but this place is made for him. I'm very proud - he's gone out on his shield.

"He comes to life here and we'll be back next year to try and make it third-time lucky. I'd love him to get genuinely good ground. The two-five is his absolute maximum. Tom (Cannon) said he was running on fumes at the elbow."

A statement from the racecourse confirmed Gullinbursti suffered fatal injuries in a fall, while Minella Reception was assessed and treated by veterinary staff on the course before being transported back to the stables for further assessment.

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