Grand National Day 2026 began with a shock result in the opening Hallgarten & Novum Wines Maghull when 50-1 chance Mirabad triumphed to hand jockey Tristan Durrell his first Grade One success.
The seven-year-old picked up 8-11 Favourite Salvator Mundi going to the last and ran on strongly for a convincing six-length success with his better fancied stable companion Be Aware (10-1) another two lengths away in third.
Tristan Durrell said: “Unbelievable. My best chance so far in a Grade One was yesterday [L’Eau Du Sud in the JCB Melling Chase] and I was really disappointed, yet I’ve bagged one today. I couldn’t believe how well he was travelling. I knew the race would suit him if they went fast, but it was a question of whether he was good enough to win, and he was. He’s a hardy horse and has got a lot of heart, so it’s nice for him.
“I’m not counting my chickens yet [about winning the conditional jockeys’ title] but it’s looking that way now and I’ll hopefully get across the line. Coming here and winning a Grade One is topping off an amazing season.”
Winning trainer Dan Skelton said: “I’ve no idea how that happened, but I said to the lads beforehand that the only time he has run moderate for us was at Bangor, where he probably got stuck in the ground, and you can have a bad day.
“I said to Tristan ‘drop him in, go thieving, and nick what you can, and you never know’. It was always going to be a strong pace and Be Aware has probably run better there than he has done all season in third. It’s just amazing.
“Mirabad has learned to settle with a bit more experience and we’ve ridden him today to do just that. He’s got loads of ability obviously, but that’s remarkable.
“It’s great for Tristan. He’s going to be champion conditional and now he’s a Grade 1 winner. Harry’s getting older and we’ll need a jockey in five, six, or however many years. I’m not retiring Harry, but Tristan could be that rider as he’s improving, improving and improving and we are very proud that he’s a homegrown talent. He rode with a lot of confidence there but why not - he’s on a 50-1chance with no instructions.”
Willie Mullins, trainer of the runner-up Salvator Mundi, said: “He just didn’t jump the way he can jump, and it cost him in the end, I think. He’ll go to Punchestown. These horses have had a quiet year, they’re well mollycoddled for the whole season and they can do a bit of hard work now like the rest of us!"
