Tristan Durrell gains Grade 1 breakthrough on 50-1 shot Mirabad in Maghull to kick off 10,518-1 four-timer for Dan Skelton

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Tristan Durrell capped his landmark season with a first Grade 1 win when Mirabad caused a 50-1 shock in the Maghull Novices' Chase – initiating a 10,518-1 four-timer for Dan Skelton on the Grand National card.

Durrell's campaign already has him in pole position to be crowned Britain's champion conditional jockey, while he won the Coral Gold Cup on Panic Attack in November and rode out his claim. He has now joined the elite riders by this breakthrough triumph at the highest level.

Despite being the rank outsider, victory could not have come more easily for Durrell on Mirabad. He sat motionless between the final two fences before asking his mount to breeze past Salvator Mundi for a six-length success.

He said: "I couldn't believe it. I knew the race would suit him if they went fast. It was just a question of if he was good enough to win, which he obviously was. He's hardy and has a lot of heart.

"My best chance in a Grade 1 previously was yesterday on L'Eau Du Sud and I was really disappointed. It's amazing to actually bag one today."

With nearest rival Freddie Gordon out injured, the conditional jockeys' title could put the icing on the cake for Durrell.

"It's looking that way now, but I don't want to count my chickens until they're hatched but hopefully I can get across the line in the championship as well," he said. "Coming here and winning a Grade 1 tops off an amazing season."

Mirabad started the season by disappointing in the Greatwood Hurdle as a well-backed second-favourite, and this represented a remarkable turnaround in form after being beaten 31 lengths as the 1-4 favourite at Bangor in February.

Skelton said: "What a remarkable performance. He's been quite free-going in the past. We thought he could nearly win a Greatwood but that didn't work and we felt we had to go over fences.

"We knew there was going to be plenty of pace up front and it's just worked – I don't know why. It's just remarkable."

Skelton momentum continues

Turners Novices' Hurdle sixth Bossman Jack bossed the Grade 1 Mersey Novices' Hurdle for the second leg of Skelton's four-timer under the trainer's brother Harry.

The Durrell-ridden Soldier Reeves stayed on to complete a one-two for the yard, with Bossman Jack's triumph Skelton's fourth of the Grand National meeting. Three of those were at the highest level.

Skelton said: "He's looked like a very good horse all the way. The mistake at the last at Cheltenham probably cost him being second. He has a big engine but he has a child's brain. He didn't jump the best today but it's all ahead of him, he could be very, very good.

Bossman Jack wins the Mersey Novices' Hurdle at AintreeCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"Hopefully it will all just get easier mentally for him, he understands it a bit better and his jumping is a bit more reliable. He could go a long way. I wouldn't call him Gold Cup class because there's a long way to go, but I think he could be really, really good."

Mr Hope Street continued the stellar day for the stable, bringing up a treble in the Freebooter Handicap Chase under Harry Skelton. He beat the Neil King-trained Lookaway by a head in a thrilling finish.

The jockey showed great skill after losing an iron on the run to the final fence, reaching down to regain his footing before jumping the last beside Lookaway. It was Lookaway who landed best, but Mr Hope Street found most to be in front when it mattered.

“It’s quite wet and my foot slipped out,” said the winning rider. “He made a bit of a mistake two out and he’s an inexperienced horse really, but he’s won like a fresh horse. It’s a brilliant bit of training.

“He’s had niggling issues throughout the year, which meant we couldn’t get many runs into him, and the owners have been very patient with him.”

Dan Skelton's fourth success of the day came through Forthfactor, a two-and-a-half-length winner of the Grade 2 bumper under Heidi Palin.

Sheehan strikes out

Gavin Sheehan rapidly made up for lost time when Wade Out stormed to success in the 3m½f handicap hurdle.

Sheehan sat out the first two days of the Grand National meeting as part of a 14-day whip ban he picked up for his Cheltenham Festival-winning ride on Johnny's Jury in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

On his first ride since, he steered the Olly Murphy-trained 18-1 shot to an eight-and-a-half-length victory.

"It's a nice way to come back," Sheehan said. "It's been a long two weeks, but I've come back fresh. I thought I'd be pushing this lad all the way, but he travelled like a dream. I couldn't pull him up."

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