PAUL Nicholls and Ruby Walsh suffered their second major reverse of the week as Master Minded was eclipsed by Voy Por Ustedes in the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree, but the top team quickly made up for it with a sparkling treble.
Twenty-four hours after the champion trainer and owner Clive Smith found themselves in the second spot in the winner's enclosure after Kauto Star was nailed on the opening day of the meeting, they were back there again as Master Minded wearily crosse
d the line 18 lengths in arrears.
Despite his unassured stamina over two and a half miles, Master Minded was sent off the 2-5 favourite, but this time Voy Por Ustedes (5-1) matched strides.
A mistake from Master Minded at the second-last handed Robert Thornton's mount an advantage which he to the line.
Smith remained in good heart despite another huge reverse, and joked: "It was that second-last fence again – we'll have to get it removed for next year! Ruby just said he didn't stay."
Nicholls and Walsh may have been out of luck with Master Minded but the powerful duo still combined for a 179-1 treble courtesy of Big Buck's, Gwanako and Pierrot Lunaire on the second day of the National meeting.
The latter was the final leg of their winning run and earned a 14-1 quote from Cashmans for next season's Champion Hurdle after powering away with the Littlewoods Direct Imagine Appeal Novices' Hurdle.
The 5-1 shot had finished behind subsequent Grade One winner Binocular on his previous outing and built on that to take this Grade 2 prize by 14 lengths from Blue Bajan.
Walsh added: "If you had said to me I would have three winners today, I would not have thought Master Minded wouldn't be one."
Big Bucks started the Nicholls– Walsh bandwagon rolling when the trainer's decision to step him up to three miles plus in the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase paid off.
He was produced to join Battlecry at the final fence and stuck to his task in good style to pass the post with two and a quarter lengths to spare.
Nicholls also broke one Aintree hoodoo with the biggest one still to come as Gwanako defied his inexperience to take the John Smith's Topham Chase. The Grand National and to a lesser extent the Topham were two notable chases missing from his laden trophy cabinet.
• Punter David Smith, 46, from Beckenham, scooped a record totejackpot dividend of £510,955.60 by naming the first six winners at Aintree. The bet, which cost just £32, was placed online through betting exchange Betfair.
The full article contains 454 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
