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David Davies

Lizzie Kelly steers Tea for Two to surprise Betway Bowl success

Cue Card ran a gallant second but didn’t have enough down the stretch.

Updated at 15.40

LIZZIE KELLY SECURED the second Grade 1 victory of her career when steering 10/1 shot Tea for Two to Betway Bowl success at Aintree this afternoon.

It was a sweet win for the 23-year-old on the first day of the Grand National meeting, coming only three weeks after falling on the same horse in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Reigning champion Cue Card (2/1f), also a faller at Prestbury Park’s blue riband event last month, impressed on his return but was beaten by Tea for Two’s superior stamina.

It was Kelly’s second Grade 1 success on Tea for Two, which is owned by her mother Jane and trained by her stepfather Nick Williams, her first coming in the Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton in December 2015.

That historic victory ensured Kelly became the first female rider to win a Grade 1 race over jumps in the United Kingdom.

It’s been a day to remember for Barry Geraghty, who only recently returned to the saddle after missing the Cheltenham Festival through injury.

Geraghty has claimed two Grade 1 successes this afternoon, his first coming in the Doom Bar Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle on hot favourite Defi Du Seuil (4/11f) for Philip Hobbs.

The Meath jockey then doubled up in JP McManus’s colours in the afternoon’s feature race, the Betway Aintree Hurdle, as Nicky Henderson’s Champion Hurdle winner Buveir D’air (1/2f) stormed home to complete a Cheltenham-Aintree double.

McManus and Henderson also collected the second-place money as My Tent Or Yours (8/1) was next across the line under Aidan Coleman.

Flying Angel (5/1) landed the opening Grade 1 of the day for Nigel Twiston-Davies, with Noel Fehily in the saddle.

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