Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle
Grade 1, Aintree 15:25
£250,000 added,
4yo plus,
2m 4f, Class 1   
Thursday 12th April 2018

1 L'Ami Serge 5/1
2 Supasundae 11/10F
3 Clyne 25/1
9 ran Distances: 3l, 3¾l, 6l
Time: 6m 38.20s (slow by 1m 55.20s)

A Grade 1 treble for Nicky Henderson as L’Ami Serge defeats Supasundae

L’Ami Serge
© Caroline Norris
L’Ami Serge
 
Seven Barrows maestro Nicky Henderson, jockey Daryl Jacob and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, registered a 17/1 double on day one of the Randox Health Grand National Festival courtesy of L'Ami Serge's success.
 
The 5/1 shot relished the strong pace set by Gary Moore's Diakali and stayed on powerfully after the final flight to master 11/10 favourite Supasundae by three lengths.
 
The same winning connections had previously teamed up to land the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle with We Have A Dream (2/1).
 
L'Ami Serge was a well-beaten eighth in the G1 Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but relished today's drop in trip to two miles and four furlongs.
 
Henderson said: "L'Ami Serge deserved to win a big race. He is an enigma and we had him entered in a few races at Aintree this week, but this was the right race to target.
 
"It's a big well done to the team as to get horses back from Cheltenham is always tough, but he did it well today.
 
"They didn't go fast enough in the Stayers' for him but today was perfect for him."
 
Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede said: "It's really lovely for L'Ami Serge as he has always threatened to win a big race in England.
 
"The race set up perfectly for him today as he loves to come from the back of the field like that. He loves a furious pace and everything worked out well today.
 
"You have to produce him late and Daryl had to ride him coolly today. He jumped to the front at the last and stayed on well.
 
"He didn't get home in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham last time on heavy ground, but he relished that trip today.
 
"He won the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil last year and that will again be his aim this year - It's been a brilliant day for Simon and Isaac."

Boylesports

Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1)
£250,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places

Pos D Horse SP Jockey Weight Trainer Age
1st L'Ami Serge (IRE) 5/1 D A Jacob
11-7
N J Henderson 8
2nd 3 Supasundae 11/10f R M Power
11-7
Mrs J Harrington 8
3rd Clyne 25/1 Adam Wedge
11-7
Evan Williams 8
4th 6 My Tent Or Yours (IRE) 9/2 B J Geraghty
11-7
N J Henderson 11
5th 9 Cyrus Darius 12/1 B Hughes
11-7
Ruth Jefferson 9
6th 23 Diakali (FR) 25/1 Joshua Moore
11-7
G L Moore 9
7th 46 Izzo (GER) 50/1 R Johnson
11-7
Mlle C Fey 5
PU Air Horse One 20/1 N D Fehily
11-7
H Fry 7
PU The New One (IRE) 8/1 Sam Twiston-Davies
11-7
N A Twiston-Davies 10

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