Five big improvers from Aintree

Salvator Mundi (151 from 136)

For the fourth season in a row the Top Novices' Hurdle fell to a runner beaten in the Supreme at Cheltenham, Salvator Mundi turning the tables with Romeo Coolio to the tune of over 18 lengths, while a third runner that had contested that race finished well clear of the rest in third.

Salvator Mundi produced a big career best to beat a below-par Romeo Coolio, racing more evenly with the hood left off than he had at Cheltenham (despite being geed up beforehand) and probably suited by less testing conditions.

This win moves him up the stable’s pecking order, now rated only behind Supreme winner Kopek des Bordes (159p) and in front of Final Demand (150p) and he will continue to be of interest, his free-going, strong-travelling style meaning his will likely be seen to better effect at flat tracks and away from testing ground.

Gentleman de Mee (160 from 145+)

A Topham contested by largely exposed sorts and it was another running that added to the view that this course no longer provides anything like the jumping test it once did, this one mirroring last year's with no fallers and just the one unseat.

The first five home were all Irish-trained, incidentally, and rather like the Grand National, this race has attracted classier types of late and a dual Grade 1 winner, Gentleman de Mee, pulled a little way clear with a novice after plenty had still been in contention jumping two out.

Gentleman de Mee, who had won a Grade 1 at this meeting as a novice chaser in 2022, had seemingly lost his way of late, but he bounced right back to his best faced with a new test over the National fences on his first start in a handicap in this sphere.

He also proved his stamina for this far having raced predominantly at around two miles, winning from a BHA mark of 155, the highest any winner of the Topham has this century.

Julius des Pictons (135 from 122)

The shorter gap than last year between Cheltenham and Aintree had an impact on the Grade 1 novice events in particular at this meeting, the Sefton especially affected, with just one also-ran from the Spa in the line-up, while none of the others had contested a Grade 1 previously.

Julius des Pictons had looked sure to be suited by a step up in trip when he shaped well over two miles at Exeter on his previous start, but it was still something of a surprise that the extra mile enabled him to find enough improvement to win at Grade 1 level, his stamina clear for all to see as he took advantage of Mister Meggit’s blunder at the last.

Mister Meggit (136P from 129P) is clearly the best long-term prospect to come out of the Sefton and he seems sure to develop into a smashing novice chaser last season, but it is hard to knock the attitude of Julius des Pictons and, despite running to a level which is lower than what is usually required in the Sefton, he’s totally unexposed at three miles and should continue to give a good account.

Honesty Policy (137p from 129p)

Drying ground had an impact on all the races apart from the Grand National on Saturday, but perhaps none more so than in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, in which the warm favourite Lulamba and the unbeaten Fingle Bridge were notable absentees.

It was an open-looking renewal, one a bit below standard, which was rather made worse right away when Miami Magic – who had been saved for this since Kempton – suffered in one of the ragged starts that have plagued some of the top jumps races over the last month.

However, the Gordon Elliott-trained Honesty Policy still took a marked step forward in form terms, overcoming a rise in class in style and relishing the step up to two and a half miles.

He was only fourth crossing last, but stayed on well once switched briefly on the run-in to lead close home to beat the well-regarded Regents Stroll by half a length. There could be even more improvement to come from Honesty Policy if tried over even further as a hurdler, though a switch to fences in more than likely next season (has a pointing background) and he could rate higher yet in that sphere.

Kalif du Berlais (155p from 148)

The absence due to the ground of the Arkle runner-up, Only By Night, left a field of five for the Maghull Novices’ Chase, with the Arkle form instead represented by the fourth L'Eau du Sud, though he couldn't get to grips with Kalif du Berlais, who'd been kept away from Cheltenham.

He was beaten for a lack of stamina on his previous start in the Scilly Isles at Sandown on his previous start, but he had looked promising prior to that run in winning a couple of handicaps at Newbury and Cheltenham with ease, and he duly confirmed himself a very smart novice by landing this Grade 1.

Kalif du Berlais proved a different proposition back at two miles in conditions which placed the emphasis on speed, ridden more positively this time and making use of his natural speed and fluent jumping, which poured pressure on his rivals throughout.

His performance akin to what it took to win a mess of an Arkle at Cheltenham and he’ll start his second season chasing still open to further improvement, with this meeting likely to be high on his agenda once more.