Politologue got the better of hot favourite Min in a thrilling climax to the JLT Melling Chase at Aintree.

The two-and-a-half-mile Grade One was billed as a match between the Willie Mullins-trained Min, who chased home Altior in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, and fellow Irish challenger Balko Des Flos who was an impressive winner of the Ryanair Chase at Prestbury Park for Henry de Bromhead.

However, the Paul Nicholls-trained 11-1 shot Politologue, who was only fourth in the Champion Chase, did not read the script and claimed a narrow victory under Sam Twiston-Davies in a race in which owner John Hales lost the hugely popular grey One Man 20 years ago.

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.

"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."