Grand National Festival 2018 – Politologue won the JLT Melling Chase for Sam Twiston-Davies and Paul Nicholls at Aintree racecourse on Ladies Day
Twenty years after Champion Chase hero One Man died when falling in the race, Politologue has given John Hales a win in the Melling Chase on Ladies Day at Aintree.
POLITOLOGUE (11-1) added another fascinating chapter to owner John Hales' Aintree story with a narrow win in the JLT Melling Chase on Ladies Day.
Paul Nicholls' grey had to battle hard after the last to get the better of the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Min (11-10) but managed to hold on by a neck.
For Hales, who claimed Grand National glory in 2012 with Neptune Collonges, the victory in the Melling Chase came 20 years after his legendary horse One Man lost his life in the same contest.
Politologue himself was on a redemption mission of sorts at the Merseyside course after stumbling late in a Grade 1 at the track last year with the win at his mercy.
Twiston-Davies said: "It was a good shout by Paul to put the hood back on, it helped him relax and he got in a great rhythm.
";Paul has done all the hard work and I just pushed at the end.
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"When Min came up all I was hoping was that I winged the last to have a chance again, when something is travelling like that you are always concerned but one thing with him is that he tries very hard."
He added: "I needed that one, it's been a trying time, Paul is trying to rebuild looking for new stars, I've been injured, I got a few decisions wrong, missed a few winners and gave some horses some not so great rides, but these ones make it worthwhile and help me to believe in myself again."
Nicholls said: "It was a brilliant ride by Sam. He just didn't finish his race at Cheltenham, so we had a look at his wind and we put a tongue tie on.
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"He got wound up at Cheltenham, but I don't think he likes it there, a track like this suits him.
"The great thing now he is staying, we always thought he'd be a King George horse, but we dropped him back in trip. In time he might get three miles."
Hales said: "It was a brilliant performance, he was totally relaxed today, a different horse from Cheltenham and Paul was totally right to put the hood back on.
"He jumped for fun today and thoroughly deserved it."
He added: "It is 20 years ago today I lost him (One Man), but thank you Aintree. Of course it still hurts, but we have won the Grand National and we have another great grey now. He fought all the way.
"That was a wonderful performance - they didn't give him a chance and that is what I love."