Gracchus De Balme lifts Foxhunters’ crown at Aintree

was a very game winner of the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters Chase at .

Ridden positively throughout by Huw Edwards, the nine-year-old looked beaten when he was passed by Dan Skelton’s Jet Plane after the last.

It was to his immense credit that the 22-1 chance battled back and went on to win by a length. Lifetime Ambition was third with former classy hurdler and chaser My Drogo fourth.

It was a second win in the race for trainer Joe O’Shea, but he explained why this one meant more.

O’Shea said: “When we had the winner in 2021 (Cousin Pascal) there was no one here, it was Covid year.

“As we’re only 15 or 20 miles away, we’re in proper hunter chase country and we’ve brought a coach load today.

“I’ve been very ill over the summer, I had a heart operation and my head girl Anna (Roach) broke her back on the gallops. But I kept saying to her ‘don’t worry, we’ll win the Foxhunters’.

“This horse is so fast he can play table tennis on his own!”

Anna Roach added: “When I broke my back and Iskander Pecos got an injury too it was the worst day of my life, but this horse winning like that is unbelievable and a great achievement. I can’t believe we’ve won it again after winning four years ago with Cousin Pascal. Honestly it’s so emotional.”

The winning rider Huw Edwards said: “He jumped and travelled; I kept filling him up the whole way and he’s seen it out well. It’s brilliant. The start was a bit messy but he travels and jumps well so he took me there, and he was spot on the of the way. I could hear them coming, but I was too scared to have a look, really. He didn’t feel tired and he just kept finding.

“Coming into the Elbow I thought I’d get beat, but he stayed on so well. My grandfather rode in 12 Nationals and finished third once [on Peacetown, in 1964].

“I ride out for Joe most days and he does so well with his horses. It’s great - I can’t really believe it. The horse was cheap and to have come and done this - it’s brilliant. I don’t know what to think!”