Riders Onthe Storm (16-1) took the Jewson Monet’s Garden Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase to land a home win for his Merseyside owners at Aintree Racecourse.
As racing returned to the home of the Randox Grand National the Richard Hobson-trained nine-year-old provided Southport-born Carl Hinchy and Mark Scott, from Aigburth, with a special victory on home soil. Both are regulars visitors to Aintree and have had runners separately in the Randox Grand National and they have also enjoyed success with Riders Onthe Storm at the Liverpool track in the past.
Birkdale-based Hinchy has also won at the Grand National Festival with Dame Rose and almost every horse they have is geared at trying to land success on 'home' soil.
And under Brian Hughes, Riders Onthe Storm was up with the pace throughout the 2m4f contest and hit the front the second-last fence. But as he jumped the last in the lead, he was joined by Paul Nicholls' top-weight, Hitman (10-3), and the duo had a real battle for supremacy all the way to the line. But it was Riders Onthe Storm who held on by a head to claim a first victory since landing the Grade One Ascot Chase in early 2020 when he was trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. GA Law (11-1) was a further length-and-a-quarter back in third.
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Paddy Power cut Riders Onthe Storm into 14-1 for next month's Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase at Cheltenham. But connections were just celebrating a special victory.
A delighted Hinchy said: "It was brilliant. To win the Old Roan Chase here is something special. We watched Monet's Garden winning it over the years, so this is special. We are local and winning at Aintree is something we always want to do. We love Aintree so it is always great having winners here, (fellow owner) Mark (Scott) is absolutely delighted as well.
"He is a good horse, and Richard (Hobson) has done a great job with him. He has run in a Ryanair Chase and had some success for us but last year things didn't go right.
"But he needs a softer ground and we knew he was ready for today. Brian gave him a great ride and it is just special to win.
"He is nine and he is a handicapper now, so he won't be coming back (to Aintree for the Grade One Melling Chase in April). But it is just great to see him winning again."
Hinchy admitted he was 's***ing' himself during the tight finish to the race, but added: "I wouldn't say I was worried he was going to get beat, but it was nerve-wracking. I know what it is like finishing second here and it is a horrible feeling. It's not one you want to experience. But everything has gone right and I am just delighted."
Winning rider Hughes said: "I rode him once before, in a novice handicap at Cheltenham for Tom Taaffe, and I remember walking away that day thinking we'd left one behind.
"That day I buried him and he was very keen and didn't jump and fell early, so today I was very keen to get him his own space and let him use his jumping. He was very good, to be fair to him.
"If anything I was in front a bit soon as he was having a good look around, but he picked up when the second horse came to him."
Trainer Hobson added: "We were in the doldrums all last season with him. His first run was good, but he got injured in Cheltenham and the horses then got sick in the yard and remained sick all the way through until April really.
"The break and the turning out and bringing him back in nice and fresh has done him the world of good, obviously he's plummeted down the handicap a little bit and he was given a fantastic ride.
"He came in on August 1 and really hasn't missed a day – his preparation has gone extremely well.
"It's been an early start as we were working horses this morning – it never ends. We're going to celebrate this one, definitely.
"Brian said 'keep him fresh' and I think that's the key to him. If we keep fresh and just keep our powder dry and run him a few times a season, that's probably the way to go."
Fergal O’Brien’s Peking Rose (5-2 favourite) just held on to beat A Different Kind (3-1) by a short head to win the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle.
The seven-year-old won at Newbury in December 2021 and was runner-up twice before finishing seventh in the 20 Years Together, Alder Hey & Aintree Handicap Hurdle at Aintree in April. And back at Aintree on his seasonal return following a wind operation, and under Paddy Brennan he managed to just hold off the charge of the Donald McCain-trained A Different Kind to start off the campaign with victory.
O'Brien joked: "He had to dig very deep and there's nothing nicer than coming to Aintree and beating Donald McCain.
"I told him I'd settle for a dead-heat as I thought we'd got beat to be fair, but he toughed it out and Paddy has given him a lovely ride.
"He's improved for the summer off and we're absolutely delighted."
