Lizzie Kelly makes up for Gold Cup disappointment with Aintree win

AINTREE: Tea For Two spoils party for favourite Cue Card in Betway Bowl

Lizzie Kelly and Tea For Two bounced back from their Cheltenham nightmare with a tremendous victory in the Betway Bowl at Aintree.

Kelly made history when becoming the first female rider to win a Grade One in Britain, steering Tea For Two to victory in the 2015 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton and was the first woman in 33 years to ride in the Gold Cup at Prestbury Park last month.

However, the dream did not last long as horse and jockey parted company at the second fence, leaving a disconsolate Kelly wondering what might have been.

Tea For Two was a 10-1 shot to gain redemption on Merseyside, while Cue Card was the 2-1 favourite to land the Grade One prize for the second successive year, but the younger legs of Tea For Two propelled him to the front on the run to the final fence and he dug deep on the run-in to prevail by a neck.

Kelly said: “That was fantastic. We were quietly confident going into the Gold Cup when our dreams were taken away from us.

“This means more than winning the Grade One at Kempton on him, I didn’t really appreciate that at the time, but this is special. Next year’s Gold Cup dream is still alive.”

Nicky Henderson’s Champion Hurdle hero Buveur D’Air was an authoritative winner of the Betway Aintree Hurdle.

The JP McManus-owned six-yearold was the 1-2 market leader to follow up his Cheltenham success and ultimately did so in good style by five lengths.

Buveur D’Air’s victory completed a big-race double for McManus and his retained rider Barry Geraghty, with Defi Du Seuil having earlier extended his unbeaten jumping record to seven with victory in the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle.

Flying Angel – 5-1 – knuckled down admirably to claim the Manifesto Novices’ Chase under Noel Fehily.

Dineur was a 16-1 winner of the Randox Health Foxhunters’ Chase over the National fences for trainer Mickey Bowen and rider James King, before Malcolm Jefferson’s 8-1 shot Double W’s landed the Betway Red Rum Handicap Chase.

Alain Cawley received a significant boost in what has been a testing few months after guiding Dame Rose (14-1) to victory in the Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ NH Flat Race.

Getty/PA. Clockwise, from above: the field makes its way past the grandstands during the Manifesto Novices’ Chase; Dineur, ridden by James King, wins the Foxhunters Open Hunters’ Chase; Lizzie Kelly celebrates winning on Tea For Two in the Betway Bowl Chase; and...