Kalif Du Berlais caps fine Aintree meeting for Nicholls and Cobden

Harry Cobden produced another front-running masterclass as Kalif Du Berlais dominated the Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

Cobden had struck in the Grand National Festival’s three-mile novice Grade One aboard Caldwell Potter on Friday and was teaming up with his Ditcheat boss Paul Nicholls once again – this time over two miles – as they picked up their second top-level prize of the week.

As with Caldwell Potter, Cobden was donning the colours of the late John Hales and never missed a beat aboard his mount as the five-year-old bounced back to his best on a sound surface and back down in trip.

Sent off well-backed at 15-8, he came home three and a half lengths clear of Anthony Honeyball’s outsider Brookie, as Dan Skelton’s 5-4 favourite L’Eau Du Sud could only finish third.

Paddy Power make the winner a 25-1 shot for next year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, with Nicholls excited to target that Cheltenham Festival prize

He said: “He’s a seriously good horse and we ran him at Sandown as I didn’t want to take L’Eau Du Sud (same ownership) on (at Warwick) and John had just died and it was probably a bad decision.

“I had nowhere else I could go, so we kept him for here today. I would have loved to have run him in the Arkle because I think he would have gone very close in the Arkle.

“He came fresh and is a very smart horse. I thought he’d win today and that’s probably me dreaming more than anything. But he’s a very smart horse and had been working great. He’s only five, he’s maturing and the world is at his feet.

“I would like to think that is a real Champion Chase horse for next season.”

On the success of his string at Aintree, the 14-time champion trainer added: “We’ve just had to be patient. I’ve been pulling my hair out with the way some of them were running, I don’t know what happened or where it went wrong. I actually think we vaccinated the whole lot in January and for whatever reason it wiped the lot of them out.

“It took them ages to come to hand, but now we’re back where we want and our horses always like better ground and spring weather.

“Regent’s Stroll very nearly made it three Grade Ones for us this week and he’s a super horse to go chasing along with Caldwell Potter and this horse, it’s really exciting.

“It has been a bit frustrating this year, but it’s come good and it’s so exciting for next year.”

L’eau Du Sud was making his sixth appearance of the season, with his handler feeling his efforts throughout the campaign may have caught up with him.

Skelton said: “He’s running since the end of October, so he’s been on the go a long time. He showed us at home that he was ready to go again and he’s run really well without seeing it out the absolute best as he can.

“I’m proud our horse, he has run his race, we’ll freshen him up with a good summer off now and we’ll have some big dances next year.”