Forest Bihan rises to the Aintree challenge

FOREST BIHAN dented some major reputations at Aintree yesterday to continue the excellent form of trainer Brian Ellison, winning by landing the Virgin Bet Monet’s Garden Old Roan Handicap Chase. In a race where four fences in the home straight were omitted due to low sun, the eight-year-old, ridden by Brian Hughes, quickened up smartly to leave the well-backed Kalashnikov struggling in his wake, with Frodon third. Ellison said: ‘Brian gave him a great ride and everything went well. We ran him at Kelso a few weeks ago and he improved loads for that. He hadn’t won over two and a half miles before, but Brian said the ground was pretty soft today and he seemed to stay well, so he’ll definitely get it on good ground.’