Amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen recorded a remarkable fifth win over Aintree’s Grand National fences as Oscar Time scored in the Betfred Becher Chase.
Placed twice in the Nationals of 2011 and 2013, Oscar Time is well into the veteran stage of his career at 13 and is now trained by the rider's father and owner, Robert Waley-Cohen, supposedly to ease his way into retirement.
After picking up an injury when fourth behind Auroras Encore in last year's National, he has been brought back to the boil steadily by taking in a point-to-point and a couple of hunter chases but he unseated Waley-Cohen at Cheltenham on his return to racing under Rules.
Sent off an unconsidered 25-1 chance, he was always going well back at his favourite course, although when Our Father, the heavily-backed 8-1 market leader, shot clear after the third-last a place again looked the best he could hope for.
Waley-Cohen did not panic, though, and bided his time so that when Our Father fell into a hole and his run capitulated, he was left in front and had enough in the tank to hold off Mendip Express (12-1) by three-quarters of a length, with Saint Are third (12-1) and Alfie Spinner (25-1) fourth.
"I didn't want to let Our Father get too far ahead, I just took my time. I thought he'd gone for home early enough anyway and if I'd chased him I wouldn't have got home," said the winning rider.
"The run-in felt very long as he doesn't do much in front and I could hear the other horse coming, but to be fair he has pulled out enough."
Of his incredible record over the fences, which also includes three seconds, a third and a fourth he said: "You've got to have the right horse and anyone could have ridden him today, as he's such a good ride over these fences."
Waley-Cohen senior said: "We bought him to run in the National and the first year he was second for us when brilliantly trained by Martin Lynch and then he was fourth but picked up an injury, so we took him home and nursed him back to health.
"He won a point-to-point and a couple of hunter chases and even though he was 13 he showed that he still had it.
"This was the target, he's better here than anywhere. He doesn't get the National trip and he will be 14 in a few weeks so he won't run."
There was a sad postscript to the race as Irish raider Balbriggan broke a leg on the flat and was put down.
Waley-Cohen nearly made it an incredible double over the famous birch when he nursed Cedre Bleu into contention in the Betfred-sponsored Grand Sefton but the old rogue could not get past and 25-1 shot Poole Master won by a length and three-quarters.
It was consolation for David Pipe, trainer of Our Father, and a first win over the fences for Tom Scudamore. Bennys Mist was third with Rolling Aces fourth.
"He was electric, he loves it round here. I've had a couple of goes here but never really been in contention and that's my first win over these fences. It's a tremendous thrill, the thrill of a lifetime," said Scudamore.
Waley-Cohen said "He's run a cracker and he likes it here, but he's not an easy horse to win with."
Sam Winner (3-1) won a rather unsatisfactory £45,000 three-mile chase after nine of the 19 fences were omitted because of low sun.
"He's a decent horse. He gallops and he jumps. Taking all those fences out would have been a disaster for him, but he galloped on resolutely and stays forever," said winning trainer Paul Nicholls.
"I nearly didn't run him as I thought the track would be sharp enough for him, but with only four runners I thought we'd give it a go.
"I don't know where he'll go next. He's in the Lexus, but that might come a bit quick."
Daryl Jacob's career has certainly not stalled since his split with Nicholls and his link up with prominent owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede paid dividends for the first time with a double.
Jacob rides for them whenever the respective stable jockeys, principally Barry Geraghty and Sam Twiston-Davies, are not available.
His first winner, Nigel Twiston-Davies' Ballybolley (6-4 favourite), clearly likes the air on Merseyside as the return to Aintree helped him break his duck for the season in the Betfred "Fun & Friendly" Novices' Hurdle.
Winner of the Grade Two bumper at the Grand National meeting, his hurdling career got off to a less than auspicious start when well beaten at Perth but he shaped better at Cheltenham last time out.
"That was nicely done and we'll keep him low-key and hopefully win with a penalty," said Twiston-Davies.
"He obviously likes it here but the problem is there isn't another meeting until April!"
Nicky Henderson's 9-2 favourite Dawalan then came with a late rattle to win the Betfred Mobile Handicap Hurdle from stablemate Bear's Affair.
Denis O'Regan won his game of cat and mouse with Brian Hughes as Alan King's Nyanza (11-8F) beat Intense Tango in the Betfred TV Fillies' Juvenile Hurdle, while Philip Hobbs continued his successful sequence of Saturday winners when Bincombe (4-1) collared the front-running Dineur in the final strides of the Betfred Goals Galore Handicap Chase.
Danny Cook was given a seven-day ban in Nyanza's race for using his whip above the permitted level on fourth home Announcement.
