Isaac Des Obeaux wins Midlands Grand National
Isaac Des Obeaux, a 28-1 shot who is part owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, overhauled long-time leader Rock My Way late on and surged clear to win by eight lengths. "It took a little chivvying along to get going but Harry [Cobden] kind of warned me about that so I was well ready for it," Twiston-Davies told ITV. "So I got him through the gears into an all right kind of slot and thankfully it hasn't wasted energy and jumped well.
"I'd watched the horse [before] but never had anything to do with him so I was just doing what I was told, which is quite nice. " Rock My Way (18-1) held off Git Maker on the line to finish second, well clear of the only other finishers - Grand Albert, fourth at 14-1, and Bodhisattva in fifth. Pre-race favourite J'arrive De L'est was one of 16 horses pulled up on soft going over the taxing four-and-a-quarter-mile course.