'It's special to be here' - Banbridge gets Grand National festival off to a flyer for Joseph O'Brien

Take it from a man who really knows: Grand National week is something special. You could see it in his smile as much as hear it in what he said.

Joseph O'Brien may have trained two Melbourne Cup winners and won races at the Breeders' Cup, as well as a host of Group 1 contests in Ireland, Britain and France.

But he is excited to have his first runners in the Randox-sponsored contest this weekend and was delighted to kick off the meeting by landing the opening Racehorse Lotto Manifesto Novices' Chase with Banbridge.

"There's hardly a bigger race in the world, is there?" he said of the £1 million showpiece. "There's no doubt about that. It's special to be here and it's special to have my first runners in it. I'm looking forward to it."

Assessing his chances on Saturday, he said: "They're both outsiders but Darasso ran very well in the Kerry National and the Galway Plate and A Wave Of The Sea has been placed in a few other Nationals, his best form has been over a bit shorter but he'll love the ground. Touch wood, they're both sound jumpers."

Ronnie Bartlett's Banbridge jumped well once getting warmed up and gave jockey JJ Slevin his first Aintree success by a length-and-a-half.

The winner had missed Cheltenham due to the unsuitably soft ground and O'Brien added: "It's great to come here with a fresh horse. He was a little bit slow over the first couple of fences but once he got into his rhythm he was lovely.

"He ran in the Drinmore earlier in the season and after that race Ronnie said we know that he's a better horse on better ground so there's no point wasting runs on soft ground.

"I think we probably saw the result of minding him earlier in the spring here. It's lovely, safe ground, they've done a fantastic job on the course, it's on the easy side but perfect spring ground."

Banbridge: 16-1 chance (from 20-1) for the Ryanair ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

O'Brien also declared Banbridge for Saturday's Maghull Novices' Chase, but will not take part.

He said: "That was just in case, when I saw there was rain coming yesterday I wanted to be sure before I walked the track this morning but he won't run again.

"We'll look at Punchestown and see how he comes out of this."

Banbridge is a 16-1 chance (from 20-1) for the 2024 Ryanair Chase over this 2m4f trip with Paddy Power, although different targets could also be on the horizon.

O'Brien said: "You'd have to say looking at him today that he could stay further in time. But he's certainly not slow."

Runner-up Saint Roi had finished third in the 2m Arkle Chase at Cheltenham and jockey Mark Walsh said: "He ran well and there were no excuses. I thought I might catch the winner going to the last but he picked up more than me after the last."

Visionarian, a remote sixth behind the Arkle winner El Fabiolo at Leopardstown, was under five lengths back in third and jockey Keith Donoghue said: "He ran a brilliant race.

"He loved that ground and jumped well, he just didn't have the gears to quicken with the two in front of me. He could be one for a Galway Plate or something like that."

Turners' Novices' Chase winner Stage Star, sent off the 6-4 favourite, was headed turning into the home straight and finished last of the five runners.

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