Zenta repels Bo Zenith in Aintree thriller.
Having placed third as part of a Willie Mullins one-two-three-four in last month’s Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, Zenta was the clear form pick and was priced up accordingly as the 5-4 market leader.
After travelling powerfully in midfield in the hands of Mark Walsh, the JP McManus-owned filly moved towards the front end still full of running early in the home straight, at which stage it looked a case of how far she would win by.
But in Gary Moore’s dual winner Bo Zenith she came up against a rival who refused to go down without a fight, setting up a titanic tussle on the run-in.
No quarter was given by either horse or jockey, but much to the delight of favourite-backers it was Zenta who had her head down when it mattered.
Nusret, bidding to give Joseph O’Brien a Grade One double following the opening-race success of Banbridge, was five lengths further back in third.