All the latest horse racing updates from Aintree on Grand National day focused early on the 12.45pm Maghull Novice Chase, a race that quickly produced a lively contest before ending in an impressive victory for Mirabad.
From the start, there looked to be plenty of early speed in the race. Be Aware jumped to the right at the first fence but still managed to grab the lead, while Salvatore Mundi moved through the field to join the front-runners. The favourite was not especially fluent, but remained in touch as the field turned for home.
As the runners approached the closing stages, Kala Conti looked ready to challenge, but fell at the third-last fence. That opened the door for Mirabad, who was poised to strike. The horse then took over and kicked clear to secure a comfortable win.
The result gave Dan Skelton another notable success, adding a big prize on a major day at Aintree. The live coverage described the victory as a smooth and decisive one for Mirabad after the earlier leaders had set a strong pace.
Maghull Novice Chase betting
The betting for the 12.45pm Maghull Novice Chase listed Salvator Mundi as the 11/10 favourite, with Kala Conti at 11/4, Mighty Bandit at 7/1, and Be Aware at 10/1. No Questions Asked was priced at 20/1, Alnilam at 22/1, while Mirabad and King Of Kingsfield were both available at 50/1.
The race was one of the headline updates from the day’s live Aintree coverage, which followed the action as Grand National day unfolded. The report also pointed readers to Tom Jenkins’s Aintree gallery and a guide to all of the runners.
With the Maghull Novice Chase decided, attention on the live blog remained fixed on the rest of the meeting and the wider Grand National card at Aintree.
