Aintree winner for Barry Geraghty

Barry Geraghty got the perfect boost for his bid for Aintree National success tomorrow when he won over the course today with 22/1 shot Eastlake for his third win in the Topham Chase in four years.

The 10-year-old Eastlake owned by JP McManus made it third-time lucky over the Grand National fences in a race in which the fancied Bishops Road exited at the first.

“He stuck in a short one at the third-last, which was him being cleverer than me, but all the way through the race he was jumping almost too well and I was getting involved sooner than I wanted to be,” the Meath jockey commented in a post-race interview.

Geraghty will partner Shutthefrontdoor in tomorrow's big race.