AMATEUR jockey Lucy Turner hailed her victory aboard Chambard at Aintree as ‘probably the best day’ racing she has ever had after becoming the first female rider to win the BoyleSports Becher Chase over the world-famous Grand National fences.

The 30-year-old, who has worked for Kings Caple trainer Venetia Williams since she left school, added to her 2022 Cheltenham Festival success aboard Chambard in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase with victory in the £150,000 Premier Handicap. 

Going clear up the run in the David and Carol Shaw-owned 11-year-old kept on in determined fashion to defeat top-weight Coko Beach by 13 lengths.

Turner said: “Chambard has been fantastic for me, and I am so pleased for David and Carol, who have been great supporters of mine over the last few years, so it is nice to get another big one for them.

“He hasn’t jumped these fences before, so we said we’d see how he takes to them, but that was the best spin I’ve ever had round there. He just loved it and kept galloping.

“As soon as they came to him, he quickened again. I could sort of hear the others coming, but he’s gone again, and at the last he was like a fresh horse.

“I’ve always wanted to ride a winner over these fences, so to do it on him means the world.

“This is probably the best day I’ve ever had in racing. Aintree is such a marvellous place, so to have a winner here is fantastic.”

At Sandown Park on the same day. Woolhope handler Tom Lacey watched Operation Manna (5-2 favourite) complete a hat-trick of victories for the season under Cameron Iles after the pair prevailed by a neck in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.