Trainer Dan Skelton saddled the first-ever winner on a Boxing Day at Aintree Racecourse as 6-4 favourite Cherie D'Am scored a comfortable victory in the opener, the William Hill Double Your Odds Mares' Handicap Hurdle.
The home of the Randox Grand National played host to racing for the first time on a Boxing Day and it was the Skelton's five-year-old mare – who is owned by the Darran and Annaley Yates – under brother Harry who claimed a piece of Aintree history with a three-length success.
Under Harry Skelton, Cherie D'Am matched strides in front for much of the 2m4f contest with the Donald McCain-trained Could Be Trouble (17-2). But coming up the turn for home, Cherie D'Am moved into a clear lead. Although Could Be Trouble and the staying-on Golden Glance (18-1) tried to bridge the gap, Cherie D'Am came home three lengths clear of the latter with McCain's Could Be Trouble fading to be another 19 lengths adrift in third.
Trainer Dan Skelton said: "The first winner ever at Aintree on Boxing Day – so it is brilliant. It was really good. She is a proper stayer and will get three miles. We will probably leave her now completely until Doncaster in the first week of March. There is a mares' listed novice hurdle over three miles. That is where she will go next presuming (everything is okay)."
Owner Darren Yates added: "It was really good. I think Dan thinks she might get a bit of black type in the future and she looks a good mare. We are delighted."
Mac Tottie (11-2) made light of a 430-day absence to score again at his beloved Aintree with victory in the Unibet Middle Distance Series Veterans' Handicap Chase. And now he could make a return to the famous Liverpool track and another spin over the Grand National fences in the spring.
The Peter Bowen-trained 11-year-old – who has won twice over the big Grand National fences in the 2021 Grand Sefton Chase and the 2022 Topham Chase – landed another Aintree victory.
Under the trainer's son Sean Bowen, Mac Tottie was sat off the pace in fourth of the four runners for much of the 2m4f contest with Top Ville Ben (10-3) making the running with 7-5 favourite Riders Onthe Storm in second. But as Robbie Dunne tried to break clear of his rivals Mac Tottie left it late to challenge ad Riders Onthe Storm faded. Coming over the final fence, Mac Tottie moved through on the inside of Top Ville Ben and finished the best to score by three-and-a-quarter-lengths.
Winning jockey Sean Bowen said: "It is a big thrill when you win on them old boys. He has been a great horse for the whole family. He has been off for a while and he definitely wasn't fully would up. That was why I was half riding him to finish. But when he winged the last he was over always to win."
Trainer Bowen has won six times over the Grand Nationals including a joint-record five Topham Chase successes. A crack at either the Topham or even the Grand National itself is likely to be the target for Mac Tottie.
Jockey Sean Bowen added: "He is not a bad trainer (father Peter Bowen) at getting one ready (to run over the Grand National fences). He (Mac Tottie) obviously loves the big fences around here and he obviously loves it around here, so that is where his spring will lie hopefully."