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