Aintree: Timmy Murphy brought Our Vic with a renewed effort to beat Kauto Star in a thrilling renewal of the totesport Bowl Chase at Aintree this afternoon.
The David Pipe-trained 9-1 chance, winner of the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, looked in trouble when Kauto Star jumped into a clear lead at the third-last fence.
But a bad error at the penultimate obstacle seemed to knock the stuffing out of the 4-7 favourite and Our Vic came with a sustained drive to mug him on the line.
Exotic Dancer was six lengths back in third.
"Both horses deserved to win. Our Vic and Timmy have given their all. He's battled back, he's got a good jump at the last," said Pipe afterwards. "I was always happy until we made a mistake at the first in the home straight. Blinkers have definitely helped him and sharpened him jump.
"He's a very good horse and has been a good horse all his life. Whenever this fellow retires we'll miss him."
Josh Guerriero enjoyed a great ride aboard Christy Beamish, who gained a hard-fought victory in the John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase.
The 11-year-old finished runner-up to Katarino in this race two years ago but the placings were reversed this time as the Robert Waley-Cohen-trained latter had to settle for second.
Sent off at 6-1, Christy Beamish took a narrow lead at the penultimate fence and found plenty for pressure from that point to pass the post nine lengths clear of Katarino (13-2).
The well-supported Holy Joe (25-1) took third spot, a further 10 lengths behind the principals.
Elusive Dream proved too good for his rivals in the Citroen C5 Mersey Novices' Hurdle.
The 7-2 chance, riffen by Walsh and trained by Paul Nicholls, led soon after entering the home straight for the final time but still had work to do as Donald McCain's Whiteoak and Franchoek queued up in behind.
McCain's charge, a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, travelled particularly kindly before a sloppy leap at the last took the wind out of her sails.
Elusive Dream really stuck his neck out and battled on gamely to see off the renewed challenge of Whiteoak (4-1) by a length and a quarter.
Franchoek, the 5-4 favourite, finished a further length and a half behind in third.
Binocular, the 11-8 favourite, comprehensively defeated Triumph winner Celestial Halo in the John Smith's 250th Anniversary 4-year-old Novices' Hurdle.
Tony McCoy always had the pace-setting Celestial Halo in his sights as Walsh tried to burn off the opposition.
Binocular, trained by Nicky Henderson, took it up going to the last and jumped away from Celestial Halo before going on to score by seven lengths, earning an 8-1 (from 16s) quote from VC Bet for the 2009 Champion Hurdle.
Harper Valley was 13 lengths back in third.
Blinkers worked a treat for Blazing Bailey as Alan King's charge took the opener on the first day of the of the festival.
Only fourth in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, Blazing Bailey was revitalised by the first-time headgear in the John Smith's Great Float Social Club Liverpool Hurdle.
Robert Thornton brought him to challenge before the final flight and the 5-1 shot saw off Faasel (20-1) on the run to the line to win by six lengths.
Triple Festival hero Inglis Drever, the 13-8 favourite, was three lengths back in third.
Bottom weight Stan (25-1) landed the Silver Cross Prams Red Rum Handicap Chase in the hands of Aidan Coleman.
The conditional rider's 5lb allowance made up for the horse being 5lb out of the handicap as he raced to victory over Dev, who was 4lb wrong at the weights.
Stan, trained by Venetia Williams, led just before the last and held on by two lengths from Dev, who staged a late rally. Lord Henry was another two lengths away third.
Aintree Results
Aintree 2.00
1 Blazing Bailey (R Thornton) 5-1
2 Faasel (B Harding) 20-1
3 Inglis Drever (Denis O'Regan) 13-8 Fav
11 ran
Also:20-1 Lough Derg 4th
Aintree 2.35
1 Our Vic (T J Murphy) 9-1
2 Kauto Star (R Walsh) 4-7 Fav
5 ran
Aintree 3.10
1 Binocular (A P McCoy) 11-8 Fav
2 Celestial Halo (R Walsh) 7-4
3 Harper Valley (P Carberry) 7-1
10 ran
Also:20-1 Star of Angels 4th
Aintree 3.45
1 Christy Beamish (Mr J Guerriero) 6-1
2 Katarino (Mr S Waley-Cohen) 13-2
3 Holy Joe (Miss J Coward) 25-1
19 ran
Also:3-1 Fav Thisthatandtother, 11-1 Sonevafushi
4th
Aintree 4.20
1 Stan (A Coleman) 25-1
2 Dev (D Elsworth) 14-1
3 Lord Henry (R Johnson) 33-1
4 Lennon (Denis O'Regan) 5-1 Fav
18 ran
Aintree 4.55
1 Elusive Dream (R Walsh) 7-2
2 Whiteoak (J M Maguire) 4-1
3 Franchoek (A P McCoy) 9-4 Fav
8 ran
Also:9-2 Group Captain 4th