188bet.co.uk Grand Sefton Chase
Handicap Chase, Aintree 15:10 £70,000 added, 6yo plus, 2m 5f 19y, Class 2
Saturday 9th December 2017

1 Gas Line Boy 9/2F
2 Ultragold 16/1
3 Sametegal 5/1
11 ran Distances: 4½l, 2½l, 17l
Time: 6m 5.70s (slow by 44.70s)

Grand National fifth Gas Line Boy wins the Grand Sefton

Gas Line Boy
@Ladbrokes

Owned by Merseyside-based The Three Graces partnership, Ian Williams' Gas Line Boy won the day's second race over the Grand National fences and could return for the big one again in April.

Trainer Ian Williams made the bold decision to go for the two-mile-five-furlong event rather than the longer Becher Chase earlier in the day and he was duly rewarded. 

The testing conditions played to the strengths of Gas Line Boy but when Arctic Gold fell in front of him, he needed to be nimble to avoid him.

Robbie Dunne always looked to have everything else covered, though, and h e kicked clear after the last, with the 9-2 favourite having enough up his sleeve to hold off Ultragold, winner of the Topham Chase, by four and a half lengths. 

Sametegal kept on to finish a further two and a half lengths back in third.

One of the winning owners, Peter Legros, said: "This time last year we had to decide whether to go for the Kelso race or run here, where I was having my work's Christmas do. We went to Kelso and won and the handicapper put him up by 11lbs so we got in to the National - and we were very happy. This time we had a similar decision. Do we go for the Becher or do we go for this? And this one suited us because of the ground conditions. And God, it has worked out.

"Whether we would have the Becher I don't know, as Blaklion won well. But it has worked out."

He added: "Hopefully the handicapper doesn't make a song and dance about it. We are 142 and would expect to go up to 150. It's whether we go for the National or go for the Topham. That is where we stand.

188bet.co.uk Grand Sefton Handicap Chase
£70,000 added, 6yo plus, 2m 5f 19y, Class 2
11 ran
Going: Heavy