Pride and joy for Hagan family after Foxhunters’ triumph with Balnaslow

There were joyous scenes in the winner’s enclosure after the Randox Health Foxhunters’ at Aintree when Balnaslow became the fourth Irish-trained winner in the last five runnings and gave Derek O’Connor his first success in the race.

The Graham McKeever-trained 11-year-old gelding had finished second in last year’s race and his victory was particularly poignant, as he carried the colours of the late Peggy Hagan.

Peggy was a terrific supporter of point-to-pointing and rarely missed her horses running wherever they were entered across the country.