News round-up from Randox Health Grand National day at Aintree

Fountains Windfall completed a hat-trick of victories under an enterprising ride from the front in the Gaskells Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.

After landing the odds in novice company at Wincanton and last time out at Plumpton, the lightly-raced seven-year-old successfully negotiated a step up back up in class to Grade Three company.

Racing into a clear lead under David Noonan after the second flight, the Anthony Honeyball-trained winner was not for stopping as he remained in pole position for the rest of the race.

Pouring on the pressure from the sharp end the 11-1 shot found himself the best part of 10 lengths clear approaching the third-last with his rivals struggling to make any impact.

Although the well-supported No Comment tried to stay on from back, his efforts were not enough with eight lengths the gap between the pair at the conclusion of the three-mile-one-furlong contest.

Honeyball said: "We have all along thought good ground and three miles (would suit him), but we've never quite had those conditions.

"I didn't mind him being in front, but it was just the way he looked to be be doing plenty in front. It wasn't like he gave Dave a breather or gave himself a chance.

"But once he was that far ahead, I think Dave thought 'well I'm here now and I've just got to kick off the bend and make the best of our way home'.

"To be fair, the horse has a good constitution, his wind is good, he just doesn't have anything the matter with him. He can maintain a gallop but I didn't think he could do quite that.

"The right thing was to run him in a handicap, if he'd finished third in the Grade One yesterday he would have gone up a fair old bit, but actually we've achieved that today. We've got a good handicap win into him.

"I think we will have to sit back and see what the handicapper does now and see what's about (next season). We could try a little bit down the hurdle route for a couple of runs, but then he would make a lovely chaser."

Philip Hobbs could now look to the Punchestown Festival with No Comment.

He said: "He obviously stays very well and I was hoping he might. I hope as well that he is still improving. Punchestown has to be a possibility now."

Sizing Codelco snapped a lengthy losing streak after running his rivals ragged in the Betway Handicap Chase.

Although without a win since September 2015 the eight-year-old set the record straight with an authoritative victory in the Listed affair on his step back up in trip.

Sent off at 10-1 and prominent from the word go in the three-mile-one-furlong prize, the Colin Tizzard-trained gelding galloped on relentlessly to take victory by 18 lengths from Rightdownthemiddle.

The win completed a double for the Milborne Port handler together with jockey Robbie Power and owners Ann and Alan Potts following the earlier Grade One success of Finian's Oscar.

Power was having his fourth winner of the week for the Potts with a Tizzard runner and said: "I can't believe the week I'm having - it's unbelievable with a double yesterday and a double again today.

"I went through this lad's form and found it very hard to fancy him but I give Joe (Tizzard) all the credit as he really fancied him and he fancied him at Cheltenham.

"He said if I could get him into a rhythm and enjoying himself, I would have a big chance. He's a bit awkward if he meets one wrong but if you grab hold of him and send him to his fences he's very good."

Tizzard - having his fifth winner of the meeting - thinks Sizing Codelco could well be back at Aintree this time next year, with the Grand National a possible option.

He said: "Sometimes you just can't believe this game. I wanted to run here, but Alan said he'd run so poorly at Cheltenham why bother.

"I'd messed him around early in the season and he'd worn blinkers and cheekpieces, but we took them off and it's worked out.

"Every jockey looks good winning, but Robbie is doing things on horses I've never seen before.

"Goodness knows what the handicapper will do to him after that. He might be a National horse next year."

Daniel Sansom enjoyed the biggest winner of his career after guiding Chesterfield to glory in the Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle.

The conditional jockey got his fractions spot on aboard the seven-year-old with the pair running out ready winners of the extended two-mile prize.

Given a patient ride by Sansom, the Seamus Mullins-trained gelding was sent on to chase after John Constable, who broke away from the field over three out, after the second last.

As the pair jumped the final flight almost together, the 8-1 shot was left with a clear lead after the Evan Williams-trained runner parted company with Conor Ring.

Drawing clear up the run in, Sansom could afford to ease his mount close to the line before claiming victory by five lengths.

Sansom said: "I feel very privileged and thanks to the boss for letting me ride him.

"The race panned out perfectly. I had an ideal position on the rail. It was a bit bump and squeeze down the back.

"I landed on the middle one down the back and thought 'oh well', but then we turned in he came alive.

"I thought I had the horse beat that fell next to me and he has just galloped all the way to the line."