GORDON Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy enjoyed a third Grade 1 success of the week at Aintree when Found A Fifty edged home in front in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase over two miles on Saturday.

Sent off the 11/8 favourite, Found A Fifty looked set to breeze past Master Chewy in the closing stages but the last-named rallied strongly in the closing stages and there was just a head between the pair at the post.

Elliott said: "I've been delighted with all of the horses we've run. On another day we could have had four or five winners, but they are running great winners. Bective Stud (Noel and Valerie Moran, owners of Found A Fifty) are massive supporters.

“You are always nervous with these horses when you come back from Cheltenham, but we haven't done much too intensive. People think they are machines but they aren't machines. Jack was great and the horse is awesome, but it's kind of a guessing game.”

Kennedy added: "It was very messy at the start and I collided in the air at the first with Charlie Deutsch's horse. We probably didn't go as hard as I thought we were going to go and I was always travelling, then down the back we really pressed on. I was happy enough to let them go and I probably ended up there a bit too soon to be honest, but he was very good.

"He hasn't missed a beat all season. He's a great horse. A tough horse. He's versatile. He stays two and a half but a strong run two is fine for him."

Tom Bellamy, rider of runner-up Master Chewy (10/1), said: "It was a massive run. I'm heartbroken obviously but we are delighted to have put the Arkle run behind us, I don't think we'd have beaten Gaelic Warrior [at Cheltenham] in a million years, but I think we might have been third or fourth.

"He fell two out so ended up not having a hard race there, whereas some of those others did, but he had to back it up. He's run a cracker. The owners wanted to see if they had a Grade 1 horse and I think we can safely say they have.

"His jumping was brilliant. e learned from his fall a bit and he's learning all the time. We were getting there.

“With myself and Jack, it was a case of who was going to go first. We were both just sitting there and daring each other to see who would go first, although we probably weren't going as well as it looked. I probably got a better jump at the last and the first half of the run-in I thought I had him, but he just battled back. It's heartbreaking, but I'm delighted for the horse."