Cue Card made amends for his fall in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a clear-cut victory in the Betfred Bowl Chase at Aintree.
Colin Tizzard’s classy performer fell three out when in with every chance in the blue riband and put the record straight as he slammed Djakadam and Don Poli, who had been second and third respectively at Cheltenham.
Dynaste made the running in the early stages but the Willie Mullins pair of Djakadam and Don Poli soon took over on the final circuit.
Ruby Walsh tried to dictate matters on Djakadam but was hard pressed in the straight.
Paddy Brennan oozed confidence on Cue Card (6-5 favourite), who sat on the tail of the leading duo before leading at the last.
He drew clear to score by nine lengths from Don Poli, with Djakadam a further eight lengths away in third.
Brennan, who had been left heartbroken at Cheltenham, said: “Just relief. We changed the bit on him today and it helped. He is a horse of a lifetime and is unbelievable. He was not at his best today and he still did that.
“He was just lacklustre at times, if asked for a long one he was not giving me that same exuberance. It’s probably me just asking too much of him.
“I’d just like to thank everyone for their support as there are a lot of worse things that can happen in life.
“I’m just very grateful to still be on the horse.”
Tizzard said: “He was awesome, like he has been all season. The real big one escaped us this year, but that just shows what a horse he is at the moment.
“We changed the bits today. He is a completely different horse and he will stay all day. I get nervous with this horse from day one.
“You have got to jump the jumps and thank god he got up (from the fall at Cheltenham). He trotted up the next morning as sound as a pound, as if he didn’t have a race.
“He is 10 now and is better than he has ever been. He was brilliant today. He runs with his head a little bit high, not like a typical chaser.”
He added: “He completely missed it at Cheltenham and I never thought he would fall.
“He will go to Punchestown. I entered him yesterday, it was always going to be on the cards. He hasn’t had a hard race, he is 10 so there is no reason not to go there.
“Paddy wears his heart on his sleeve. He was sensible, he wasn’t as nervous — there was a lot of hype going into Cheltenham and that was a thorough test, this was a bit more relaxed.”
Mullins said: “We have no excuses. Our two did the donkey work out in front but we were beaten by a better horse on the day.”
