Bill Baxter shines over the National fences to put Greatrex on top again

Recent seasons have been tough for Grade One-winning trainer.

Bill Baxter got Warren Greatrex back into the big-race winner’s enclosure with a determined victory over the Grand National fences in the Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Chase at Aintree.

While run over a distance some way short of the big one, the Topham traditionally gives jockeys a chance to get their eye in on the eve of the world’s most famous steeplechase.

Greatrex is no stranger to major success as the trainer of World Hurdle hero Cole Harden and multiple Grade One-winning mare La Bague Au Roi, but by his standards it has been a while between drinks for the Lambourn-based trainer, with his last graded-race success coming over three years ago.

Bill Baxter, the mount of Sam Twiston-Davies, was sent off at 20-1 after winning his last three completed starts over fences, with a January fall at Hereford sandwiched in between.

From the final fence it was a straight shootout between Greatrex’s grey and the Nicky Henderson-trained Fantastic Lady and it was Bill Baxter who finished best to prevail by a length and three-quarters.

Greatrex said: “This was the horse that was going to put our team on the map and I ride him every day.

“We had a plan a while back then he fell at Hereford, but I said if the rain came he had a great chance and thankfully it did.

“He gallops and jumps and we got Sam, who is always up for anything. Once over the first I knew the horse would adapt to the fences, and I knew turning in he would win.

“When you hit a low like we did it’s tough, but I have a great team and some nice young horses.”

Fennor Cross had earlier lifted the William Hill Handicap Hurdle for Irish trainer John McConnell and 5lb claimer Ben Harvey.

Ben Harvey celebrates winning the William Hill Handicap Hurdle on Fennor Cross
Ben Harvey celebrates winning the William Hill Handicap Hurdle on Fennor Cross (Peter Byrne/PA)

McConnell and Harvey teamed up for Cheltenham Festival success last month with Seddon and hopes were high that Fennor Cross could also get the trainer off the mark at Aintree.

An 8-1 shot after finishing down the field in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on his latest start, the six-year-old was a commanding two-length winner on his return to handicap company, after which McConnell said: “It’s easy this game isn’t it!

“Cheltenham was a mess for this horse. We’d hoped to run him at Musselburgh, but he had a little issue which meant he didn’t get his fourth run in to qualify for the handicaps and the only race he was in was the Supreme. He wouldn’t have run a bad race in that but made a mess of the third-last and his race was over.

“We always felt going up in trip would suit him and it went really well. Ben gave him a beautiful ride.

“He handles most ground and has turned into a proper horse. I don’t know what the plan is because I think there’s unfinished business on the Flat as well.”

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