Grand National: AP McCoy wins Melling Chase on Don Cossack

AP McCoy steered Jezki to victory in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle on Thursday

AP McCoy's Don Cossack romped to a 26-length victory in the Betfred Melling Chase on Ladies' Day at Aintree.

The 3-1 joint favourite, trained by Gordon Elliott, battled with Cue Card (6-1) but pulled clear with two fences to go. Johns Spirit (16-1) was third.

Last season's Champion Chase winner Sire de Grugy fell early on, as did Balder Succes later in the race.

In the Topham Chase, Sam Waley-Cohen led Rajdhani Express to victory over the Grand National fences.

The 10-1 shot raced clear to win comfortably and hand trainer Nicky Henderson another Aintree victory, while also securing amateur rider Waley-Cohen his sixth win over the famous fences.

Fairy Rath (25-1) was second, with Rathlin (20-1) third and Hunt Ball (25-1) fourth.

Sam Waley-Cohen will ride Oscar Time in the Grand National

McCoy's Eastlake was pulled up in the Grade 3 race, but the 19-time champion jockey was in dominant form in the feature race, the Melling Chase, to register his second victory of the meeting, and a third for Elliott.

Wearing the unfamiliar purple and white colours of Gigginstown House Stud, the 40-year-old, who will ride favourite Shutthefrontdoor in his final Grand National on Saturday, took advantage of a poor run by the other joint-favourite, Champagne Fever, to take the honours.

"I got a good ride off him," said McCoy, who replaced the suspended Bryan Cooper in the saddle of Don Cossack. "I owe JP's (McManus) son Kieran a favour as we knew early in the week Uxizandre wouldn't be running."

There was, however, a concern for jockey Wayne Hutchinson, who was aboard Balder Succes and suffered an injury which means he will need to pass a doctor's test before he can ride Godsmejudge in the National.

Irishman Robbie McNamara will definitely miss out though, following a fall at Wexford. He was due to be on board top weight Lord Windermere on Saturday.

Full race results here