'What a recovery!' - Sam Twiston-Davies performs acrobatics to avoid unseat

Master Tommytucker can sometimes be a tricky customer, especially when his jumping is concerned, and Sam Twiston-Davies got first-hand experience of that when performing a miraculous recovery on the ten-year-old in Friday's Marsh Chase at Aintree.

The race, better known as the Melling, was won by Fakir D'Oudaries, but before that Twiston-Davies had to call on all of his prowess and experience in the saddle – and maybe even a previous career as a circus performer – to keep the partnership together.

The pair were leading the seven-runner field and all appeared serene until the fourth when the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding pecked on landing, launching his rider – it seemed into – an early exit and thin air.

Marsh Chase: full result and race replay

As it happened

Twiston-Davies, with left leg way above his head, had other ideas and was able to get back into position.

"Oh what a recovery!" exclaimed ITV commentator Richard Hoiles.

"My word. Not great for technical merit over the fence, but top marks for artistic impression – I think his heel was over his ear then."

Master Tommytucker, who had fallen in three of his first four starts over fences, had been a reformed character this season, winning a Grade 2 and finishing second in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase last time, but he struggled to be fluent from then and was headed two out, beating just Notebook home.

If you want more on the 2021 Grand National . . .

2021 Grand National: the runners, the odds, the verdict

Grand National steamers: five horses who could shorten in the Aintree build-up

2021 Grand National: confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's big race

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