Willie Mullins saddled the winner of the Randox Topham Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences when Gentleman De Mee defied 11st 11b to take the honours at 14-1.

Owned by JP McManus, the nine-year-old made sustained progress up the run in to overhaul Lisnamult Lad by three-quarters of a length.

Willie Mullins said: “He’s a really good jumper, and we thought at this stage of his career that he should easily go out in trip. Looking at the races, this was the one that suited him and when you’re dropping back to a handicap, you’re thinking you might have a little advantage. Running him next year in the Grand National might be pushing it a bit, but I’ll have a word with Mark [Walsh] here and ask him!”

Asked about bringing such a strong team to Aintree this year, Mullins said: “Well, I was a bit surprised at how well they went last year, so I thought we’d try and do something similar this year. I think we’ll try and have two separate teams in future, one for Aintree and one for Punchestown. And one for Ayr, and for…!”

Winning jockey Mark Walsh said: “That was brilliant. They went a very strong gallop the whole way. I missed the start - I wanted to pop him out handy, but the way things worked out, he stood at the start a little bit and I was at the back most of the way, but when I turned away from the stands going down to Bechers, he just started winging fences and getting himself a nice position. I knew they had gone quick and I was happy sitting there going into the fourth-last and the third-last, and going to the second-last I was lucky enough that a gap came off the rail, and I was able to scoot up there. The loose horse was no help to Johnny Burke, but made no real difference to me.

“This horse won a Grade One a couple of seasons ago and was second in the Champion Chase, so that was a fair performance off 11st 11lb. This is his time of year, he does jump well and he likes the ground. If you win on the Friday, you’ll hopefully win on Saturday as well!”

Johnny Burke was not claiming that the loose horse, Ash Tree Meadow, had cost him the race when interfering with Lisnamult Lad on the run-in, but the margin of defeat was narrow and it hadn’t helped.

He said: “It cost me a bit of momentum I suppose, but when we got to the Elbow he ran straight and I’d say we were just beaten by a class horse.

“He’d given me a hell of a spin. It just took me a couple of fences to trust him and to know his limits, but he was very accurate at the take offs and landings and very measured. At the last I thought we had it, but it’s a long way to the line. I’m gutted that it didn’t come off, but he can come back here again.”

Ironically, it was Keith Donoghue, the brother of Lisnamult Lad’s trainer Ian, who had parted company with Ash Tree Meadow a long way from home.

Ian Donoghue joked: “We’ll blame Keith for that, as the one that got in our way was the one he fell off! But it was a great run and he’s a smashing horse who gave us our first Cheltenham winner (at the October meeting).

“I was very confident he’d run a big race and be bang there, and I’m delighted for his owner Matt Rogers, who is at home but also had Break My Soul fourth in the Grade 1 yesterday.

“This is where we want to be. We are a small team and we are lucky that Matt’s backing us. At least we are coming here and nearly getting the results, so we are proving we can train them.”

What the beaten jockeys said:

Jack Andrews on Latenightpass (22nd): “He has been a lovely horse. I think that is the fifth time he has been round the national fences and he has got round every time. Older age he just probably wants a bit slower ground now or a bit further.”

Paul Townend on Blue Lord (Pulled Up): “He didn’t enjoy it.”

James Best on Escaria Ten (15th):” It was a good spin.

The ground was a bit lively for him but he is a lovely animal.

It was just happening all a bit quickly for him.”

Danny Gilligan on The Goffer (3rd):”He has ran a blinder and I am very happy.”