Midlands Grand National: Isaac Des Obo pulls clear to win

Jockey Sam Twiston Davies and trainer Paul Nicholls have joined forces once again to win the Midlands Grand National with Isaac Des Oppo.

Twiston Davies was Nicholls’ main rider for four years, between 2014 and 2018, before he was replaced by Harry Cobden.

Cobden’s decision to become JP McManus’s retained jockey opened the opportunity for Twiston-Davies and Nicholls to team up again – and the partnership proved successful in Saturday’s feature race at Uttoxeter.

Isaac Des Obeaux, a 28-1 shot partly owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, overhauled long-time leader Rock My Way late and rose clear to win by eight lengths.

“It took a while to move on, but Harry [Cobden] “He kind of warned me about it so I was well prepared for it,” Twiston Davies told ITV.

“So I put him in the right place and fortunately he didn’t waste his energy and jumped well.

“I saw the horse [before] But I didn’t have anything to do with it, so I just did what I was told, which was very nice.”

Rock My Way (18-1) edged out Git Maker at the line to take second place, well ahead of the only other winners – Grand Albert, fourth at 14-1, and Bodhisattva in fifth.

Pre-race favorite J’arrive De L’est was one of 16 horses drawn over a smooth distance on the four and a quarter mile track.