Binocular, the 11-8 favourite, comprehensively defeated Triumph winner Celestial Halo in the John Smith's 250th Anniversary 4-Y-0 Novices' Hurdle.

Tony McCoy always had the pace-setting Celestial Halo in his sights as Walsh tried to burn off the opposition.

Binocular, trained by Nicky Henderson, took it up going to the last and jumped away from Celestial Halo before going on to score by seven lengths, earning an 8-1 (from 16s) quote from VC Bet for the 2009 Champion Hurdle.

Harper Valley was 13 lengths back in third.

Henderson said: "I think he is a classy horse, but how good is that horse that beat him at Cheltenham (Captain Cee Bee)?"

"Ridden like that, he's got the turn of foot, he's got the pace and he's always been a very good jumper.

"We very nearly didn't go to Cheltenham at all as we thought this might be the better place for him because of the natural speed he has.

"He's a good four-year-old, but we all know the next step is very difficult.

"I don't know what we'll do now with this horse - I suspect holiday - but he's a lovely horse and he's done well all through the winter."

McCoy said: "He travelled well at Cheltenham as well and he has plenty of pace so obviously this track was going to help him.

"I was pretty happy after Cheltenham to come here and take on Celestial Halo.

"The problem I had at Cheltenham was there were a lot of horses going well coming down the hill so I went to join them and as it happened Captain Cee Bee wasn't one of them.

"If I rode the race again and knew Captain Cee Bee was going to come I'd maybe wait, but it's easy afterwards."

Nicholls said of Celestial Halo: "He's run another nice race. This is a speed track and Cheltenham suits him better.

"He'll go and have a nice break over the summer now and look forward to next year. We will try him out in the Champion Hurdle trials next winter and see what happens, but he might want to go further."

Harper Valley's trainer Gordon Elliott said: "He's run a blinder, but his jumping just let him down a bit.

"He'll probably go to Punchestown and will come back over hurdles next winter. We may also give him a few runs on the Flat over the summer."

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh suffered their second major reverse of the week as Master Minded was eclipsed by Voy Por Ustedes in the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree.

The champion trainer and owner Clive Smith found themselves in the second spot in the winner's enclosure after Kauto Star was nailed on the opening day of the meeting, and were back there again as Master Minded wearily crossed the line 18 lengths in arrears.

Voy Por Ustedes was a similar distance behind Nicholls' charge when he floated to victory in the Champion Chase last month, earning himself the lofty title of the highest-rated chaser in training.

But he was stepping into unknown territory on British soil as he tried two and a half miles.

Despite his unassured stamina, Master Minded was sent off the 2-5 favourite and nudged into the lead turning for home, taking the Alan King-trained winner with him.

Master Minded has readily disposed of his rival in the past but this time Voy Por Ustedes (5-1) matched strides.

A mistake from Master Minded at the second-last then handed Robert Thornton's mount an advantage which kept being extended to the line.

King said: "To be honest I thought we were going to finish second, but two and a half miles was more likely to suit us than Master Minded.

"You can't be frightened of one horse, although I have to say I was devastated when I heard Paul was thinking of running his horse here.

"But plans can't change. I was not confident but when we got in a scrap, I knew Master Minded didn't get two and a half (miles) in France.

"Choc (Thornton) felt the ground had a lot to do with it too. He handles the soft but is a much better horse on proper good ground.

"I don't think we'll be going down the two-mile, Champion Chase route again.

"We'll be looking at two and a half now, and the King George is very much in the equation."

Thornton added: "I was hopeful, not confident. I thought if Master Minded ran a bit flat or if he didn't stay the trip we would take advantage.

"There's obviously an excuse for Master Minded, but we took full advantage and he galloped all the way to the line."

Sponsors Stan James make the winner a 6-1 chance for the King George, while quoting him at 5-1 for the Champion Chase - for which totesport eased Master Minded out to 5-4 from evens.

Any chance of stepping up to three miles was immediately ruled out for Master Minded and the five-year-old will be kept over the minimum distance next winter.

Nicholls said: "He has run a good race, but Ruby said he didn't stay - it is as simple as that.

"The mistake didn't help, but he was running on empty at that stage and we now know he is a two-miler.

"He had never won over two and a half miles in France, but Ruby did say to me after Sandown that he might want that trip.

"I was amazed before Newbury how much he had improved and he was devastating over two miles there, but at least we know now that we should stick to two miles.

"We won't be thinking 'is he a King George horse' as he will be running over two miles.

"Voy Por deserved to win a big race and we owed him one really.

"We will rough him off now and come back for the Tingle Creek."

Smith remained in good heart despite another huge reverse, and joked: "It was that second-last fence again - we'll have to get it removed for next year!

"Ruby just said he didn't stay, but the horse seems to be fine and this makes you value every win.

"We'll go for the Tingle Creek and Champion Chase next season with another race in between."

Al Eile produced another fine Liverpool performance to land his third Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises Aintree Hurdle.

John Queally's charge won the race 12 months ago and in 2005, and also won at the spring Festival as a novice four years ago.

Always travelling kindly for Timmy Murphy, the 11-4 joint-favourite took over from long-time leader Osana at the penultimate flight before powering on to beat that rival by an easy 10 lengths.

The David Pipe-trained runner-up fought off Straw Bear for second spot, passing the post with two lengths in hand of Nick Gifford's gelding.

Murphy said: "I think he's getting better! That rode a very good race today.

"He usually travels strongly down the back, but I was having to niggle him a bit today.

"He's a very clever horse and John has done a very good job with him, he knows that Cheltenham is not his ideal track so he misses it every year to come here."

Winning owner Michael Ryan said: "It's amazing, all credit to John Queally who has trained him since he was a three-year-old and improved him every year and gets him right on the day.

"He was very impressive, he cruised throughout the race and Timmy gets on very well with him. I just thanked Mr (David) Johnson because I had to borrow his jockey for the day and I've done that a few times."

Pipe said of Osana: "He's run a blinder. He's now finished second in two of the highest-class races so far this season.

"He's done us proud and that'll be it for the season for him now."

Gifford said of the third: "He's run a very good race. He ran his heart out. Probably he doesn't quite get the trip, but he has been beaten by two very good horses. We have no complaints.

"He is in at Punchestown, but I will have to have a word with his owner (JP McManus) and we will have to see what the ground is like."

Tidal Bay (6-4 favourite) followed up his win in the Arkle at Cheltenham with another impressive performance, this time in the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase.

Howard Johnson's charge appeared to be struggling half a mile out as Takeroc set a strong gallop up front.

But Denis O'Regan asked for a big effort before the second-last and he picked up in the style of a top-class performer to go away and win by six lengths. Modicum was third.

O'Regan said: "It's very special because most of the Cheltenham winners have been getting beat here this week, except for Our Vic.

"I'm just delighted because he didn't really travel that well today, and after Inglis Drever got beaten the other day I'm just over the moon.

"I had to really get stuck into him and I ended up giving him a hard race when I didn't need to at Cheltenham, but it was the Arkle.

"To be fair to him, two miles round here is sharp and I'm so pleased he came up with the goods."

Johnson said: "That was a great performance and he had to really battle today. "He was just looking around before the last, that's just the way he is.

"He'll go in a field now. He really wants two and a half miles to two miles six, this horse.

"We'd like to win the Ryanair (at Cheltenham)."

Trainer Paul Nicholls said of Takeroc: "We're very pleased with that and we're still learning about him.

"He's improved loads since his last run and I'm sure he'll improve a lot more during the summer ahead of next year.

"I don't know if he'll run again this season - he's in at Punchestown but we'll see.

"The more we get to know about him, I'm sure we'll have a fair tool for next season."

Nicky Richards said of Modicum: "This race has been the plan since Christmas, we always thought he was a good horse and he has run a really good race.

"He jumped well and ran his heart out. The only possible race for him at Ayr is over two and a half miles but basically he is a two-miler. There might be something for him at Perth."

Owner Trevor Hemmings was not downcast despite the defeat of Albertas Run who finished third in the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase.

Hemmings said: "He's run six times this season and won four, so we can't complain. I'm pleased with his run.

"We thought Joe Lively would make the running and they would go a bit quicker than they did, but it didn't work out that way and we had to change tactics. I'm not using that as an excuse, because we were beaten by a couple of horses, but he'll have a holiday now and be back next year."

Hemmings won the John Smith's Grand National in 2005 with Hedgehunter, who will be one of three horses to carry his colours in tomorrow's race - the others are Cloudy Lane and Idle Talk. Despite having known the experience of leading in the big-race winner, Hemmings said: "I still get excited, but it's the same with any top race. Whether it's the Gold Cup or the Grand National, they are all special. It was very kind of Aintree to give me a replica of the winner's trophy after Hedgehunter won, and that's still on my sideboard at home."

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of runner-up Battlecry, said: "The mistake he made at the second last has probably just cost him the race, but he's run fantastically well. I don't know if he will run again this season. We'll just see how he is."

Colin Tizzard, trainer of fourth-placed Joe Lively, said: "That must be nearly as good a race as he's run. It's a championship race and he's finished on the hocks of some high-class horses. He's come in his coat again and is right back to his best. We changed tactics today, and instead of making the running for others, we have let him have a bit of a tow. He's been racing for a while, but we might be tempted to run him in a race at Cheltenham in a couple of weeks."

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