Betfred Bowl win puts Cue Card on track towards Don Cossack duel

That was the abiding impression after the horse’s redemptive win in the Betfred Bowl, the day one highlight of the Crabbie’s Grand National meeting.

On this showing, there was every likelihood that Colin Tizzard’s champion chaser, who has been in resurgent form since winning Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase last October, would have beaten eventual winner Don Cossack for jump racing’s blue riband prize.

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Now, after this wide-margin win over Don Poli and Djakadam, the two horses that filled the minor places at Cheltenham, there’s every likelihood that Cue Card and Don Cossack will meet at the Punchestown Festival later this month.

“He was awesome, like he has been all season. The real big one escaped us this year, but that just shows what a horse he is at the moment,” said Tizzard before confirming the horse’s entry in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

After a fast-run race in which Sue Smith’s Wakanda was pulled up, the relief was etched across jockey Paddy Brennan’s face – he has been blaming himself for allowing Cue Card to surge to the front on the fateful run to the downhill third last at Cheltenham.

Asked to sum up his emotions, he said: “Just relief. He is a horse of a lifetime and is unbelievable. He was not at his best today and he still did that.

“He was just lacklustre at times, if asked for a long one he was not giving me that same exuberance. It’s probably me just asking too much of him. I’d just like to thank everyone for their support as there are a lot of worse things that can happen in life.”

Equally impressive on, arguably, the best-ever day’s jump racing at the Merseyside track, was Champion Hurdle heroine Annie Power’s mesmeric win in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle.

Her jockey Ruby Walsh hardly moved a muscle as the majestic mare surged clear of My Tent Or Yours and Nichols Canyon in an action replay of the Cheltenham race. Trained by Willie Mullins, this win saw Ireland’s top handler move within touching distance of Paul Nicholls in the race to become champion trainer on this side of the Irish Sea.

The Mullins bandwagon, so dominant at Cheltenham, was epitomised by the wide margin win of Apple’s Jade in the Betfred Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle under Bryan Cooper. She looks to have the scope to rival Annie Power in time.

The one race over the National fences saw On The Fringe complete the Cheltenham and Aintree Fox Hunters’ double for a second successive year – he was a dream spare ride for Jamie Codd deputising for the suspended Nina Carberry.

Earlier, up-and-coming trainer Harry Whittington landed a first Grade One win when Arzal made all under Gavin Sheehan, one of the best pace-setting jockeys in the business, to take the Merseyrail Manifesto Novices’ Chase.

Unlike his rivals, Arzal missed Cheltenham and the lay-off clearly worked. “He’s one of those who needs to find his rhythm. He found it easy,” said Sheehan.

“He’s made the other horses look moderate in many ways, which I didn’t expect. Harry’s been great to me; he’s got a good, young team and he’s definitely on the up.”