An emotional day at Aintree for trainer Jefferson as Double W's claims victory

THE raw emotion was etched across Malcolm Jefferson’s face, and self-evident in his voice, as he greeted his Aintree victor Double W’s on day one of the Randox Health Grand National meeting.

“It’s great to win here. It means a lot,” said the 70-year-old who has been battling ill-health this season and who was coming to terms with stable star Cloudy Dream’s narrow defeat in the Grade One novice chase. “He’s a grand horse. It’s a tough game this, we thought we’d win the first race.”

Normally so measured after such successes, it was self-evident that this victory in the Grade Three Betway Red Rum Handicap Chase – named after the triple Grand National winner – had even more resonance as Double W’s was washed down by the trainer’s daughter and assistant Ruth.

Like so many Jefferson horses, the gelding did not break the bank and it was the trainer’s decision to drop the seven-year-old back in trip to two miles after his stamina faltered at Cheltenham last month.

Galvanised by Brian Hughes who was taking his career-best tally of winners to 138 for the season, the horse rallied past Theinval on the run-in.

“Malcolm thought a good end-to-end gallop over two miles today would suit. He is only a novice but, as you saw there, he doesn’t jump like one,” said Hughes.

“I’m delighted for the owners and Malcolm, they’ve had to be very patient because he’s a big lad and taken time to come to himself.

“Malcolm has had a brilliant season, he’s got a great team and he buys a nice type of horse, this lad cost £8,000 as a store. His health hasn’t been great this season so hopefully this will make him feel better.”

Earlier Arkle runner-up Cloudy Dream was narrowly denied by Flying Angel, from the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard, in the Grade One Manifesto Novices Chase.

“It’s a pity not to win, but that’s about it. He can jump a little bit big – although better that than jumping too low –and he took off too soon at the first ditch, but it was a novicey mistake,” said Jefferson. “He’ll improve with racing.”

A compelling day’s action saw two notable wins for leading owner JP McManus courtesy of Buveur D’Air and Defi Du Seuil. Both were franking the form of Cheltenham where they won the Champion Hurdle and Triumph Hurdle respectively.

All horses returned unscathed following the Fox Hunters’ Chase over the National fences won by Dineur for trainer Mickey Bowen, 21. The son of leading trainer Peter, Bowen junior’s younger brother Sean is one of three teenagers riding in tomorrow’s Grand National when he partners the Paul Nicholls-trained Le Mercurey.

Meanwhile Nicholls confirmed that the veteran Silviniaco Conti, a former winner of Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase, had been retired after the seven-time Grade One-winner faltered in the feature Betway Bowl.

This was a thrilling race which saw Lizzie Kelly and Tea For Two bounce back from their Cheltenham Gold Cup nightmare – they hit the deck at the second – with a gutsy victory over the ever popular Cue Card.

Kelly’s second win at the highest level on the horse who is owned by her mother Jane Williams and trained by her stepfather Nick, this victory was the most significant yet by a female jump jockey in this country.

“That was fantastic. We were quietly confident going into the Gold Cup when our dreams were taken away from us,” said the ecstatic jockey. “This means more than winning the Grade One novice chase at Kempton on him, I didn’t really appreciate that at the time, but this is special. Next year’s Gold Cup dream is still alive.”

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KATIE Walsh still hopes to ride the Paul Nicholls-trained Wonderful Charm in tomorrow’s Randox Health Grand National following a heavy fall at Aintree yesterday.

It was initially feared that Walsh – who finished third in the 2012 National on Seabass – had broken her arm when unseated from Distime at The Chair in yesterday’s Foxhunters’ Chase over the National fences. She appeared to be kicked by another horse as she lay on the ground.

She was stretchered from the course to hospital where X-rays revealed bruising – but no broken bones. Nick Scholfield will deputise if Walsh is not fit to ride Wonderful Charm.