Ubak takes Aintree opener

If In Doubt had to settle for minor honours again as Ubak (16/1) won the Gaskells Waste Management Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.

The runner-up was sent off the 9/2 favourite on the back of what appeared to be a desperately unlucky third in the Pertemps Network Final at the Cheltenham Festival.

He appeared to be struggling as the pace quickened in the straight with Barry Geraghty hard at work but he finished best of all to offer hope to his supporters at the last.

The bird, though, had already flown as he failed to claw back Ubak's advantage with a length and three quarters separating the pair at the line. Silsol and Murayama - who were always prominent - filled third and fourth with both sent off at 20/1.

The winner had finished a fine third himself at the Cheltenham Festival when two places behind Diamond King in the Coral Cup over two miles five furlongs and he benefited from this first attempt over three miles.

The pace set by Rock The Kasbah didn't appear to be furious and a large number of the field were still in contention at the top of the straight as they fanned across the track looking for racing room.

None, though, could match the finishing burst of the Gary Moore-trained eight-year-old who was wining for the first time since the 2013 Mersey Novices' Hurdle at the National meeting but had returned to form back over hurdles on his last two starts after failing to fire over fences earlier in the campaign.