Silver Adonis wins Aintree Fox Hunters at Grand National meeting
Silver Adonis came home the 50-1 winner of the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree on the first day of the Grand National meeting.
Ridden by 23-year-old Tom Weston, the grey jumped well over the big fences and came to the front when crossing the Melling Road with four left to jump, holding off Moncadou (Alan Berry) and Blu Teen (Ryan Mahon). Van Ness, who led for a long way, was fourth under Timmy Edwards.
Tom said: “We thought the ground was a bit too soft for him this morning but we decided to run him and I can’t believe it. It’s a great feeling and he never missed a beat.”
Listen to Tom Weston interview
Tom’s best previous result in the “amateurs’ Grand National” was finishing second in 2005 on Caught At Dawn.
Silver Adonis is trained by Dr Richard Newland, a former GP who now handles a small string of horses in Worcestershire.
Listen to Richard Newland interview
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Imperial Commander, the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, unshipped his jockey Paddy Brennan in the Totesport Bowl when making a bad mistake at the 14th fence. What A Friend, part-owned by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, came through to win for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh.
Listen to Sir Alex Ferguson interview
• Keep posted to H&H for coverage of the big race from H&H racing editor Catherine Austen and blogs from H&H news writer Amy Mathieson at Aintree.
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A St Andrews’ graduate, Catherine joined Horse & Hound in 2002 and stayed for 11 years in a variety of roles until she went freelance in June 2013. She rejoined the team part-time in November 2016 as hunting editor. She pretty much lives on the hunting field or at the racecourse, but also loves eventing, as a journalist, press officer and competitor. She was H&H’s sole accredited journalist at the London Olympic Games and has reported from major race meetings and eventing, showjumping and dressage championships and shows round the world, and has hunted all over Britain and Ireland.