Good Boy Bobby on top in Rowland Meyrick

Wetherby success for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies.

Good Boy Bobby had to show plenty of guts to win the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies.

In a race where class came to the fore with the first four places filled by four of the first five on the racecard, it was Good Boy Bobby who proved to be the toughest of them all.

Always in the front rank, the eight-year-old was racing off a 5lb higher mark than when a narrow second to Aye Right in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and is clearly still on the upgrade.

With usual partner Daryl Jacob absent through injury, the trainer’s son came in for the ride and always had his mount in the right place.

However, he may have been slightly fortunate as Sandy Thomson’s Empire Steel still looked to be travelling better than anything else when coming down four from home.

That left Good Boy Bobby, Top Ville Ben and Lord Du Mesnil battling it out in front with Lake View Lad on their tails in fourth.

On the run to the last the front three were finding it hard going, but Good Boy Bobby found it in his reserves to put in a big leap at the last.

It was a slow-motion finish but the winner prevailed by a length three-quarters at 4-1 to emerge as a genuine Grand National contender for a yard who certainly know what it takes to win that race.

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