Geraghty in winning spirit at Aintree

Barry Geraghty started Grand National day on a high with victory on Spirit Son in the John Smith’s Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

The Irish jockey, winner of the great race with Monty’s Pass in 2003, enjoyed a smooth success on Nicky Henderson’s gelding who had finished second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Sam Winner made the running on sufferance after no-one appeared to want go on. He led until three out where Drive Time fell.

Spirit Son (3-1) soon took it up and bounded away to score by 13 lengths from the 5-2 favourite Cue Card, who made several mistakes, with Rock On Ruby (9-2) eight lengths away third.

Geraghty said: "He's a bit of a baby, he's only five. I said to Nicky before Cheltenham that it might just come six months too soon for him but he learned an awful lot from it.

“Just over this longer trip he was able to get into a nice rhythm and he jumped and travelled lovely. He picked up well and he destroyed them at the finish.

“I was going like a winner everywhere.”

Henderson, bagging his first winner of the three-day meeting, said: ``It's taken two days to get there, but we've finally managed it.

“He was good today, Barry said the only thing was probably Cheltenham might have come six months too soon for him.

“I don’t know quite what his trip will be but you won’t see him again this season.

“We’ll see where he is over hurdles just to start with (next season) and it’s only just starting to happen for him.”