Royal Pagaille won the Betfair Chase at Haydock while there was a shock at Ascot where odds-on favourite Shishkin refused to race.
The 5-1 shot Royal Pagaille, under Charlie Deutsch for trainer Venetia Williams, saw off Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame for victory.
“Today he wasn’t stopping and he came alive underneath me,” said Deutsch.
At Ascot, Pic D’Orhy won the 1965 Chase after two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Shishkin planted at the start.
Shishkin, trained by Nicky Henderson, had won 13 of his 17 races including the Aintree Bowl last time and was sent off the 8-13 favourite in the four-runner race.
But jockey Nico de Boinville was left behind with his mount and 5-2 chance Pic D’Orhy went on to win for trainer Paul Nicholls from 40-1 outsider Straw Fan Jack.
It was the second leg of a a treble for Nicholls and stable jockey Harry Cobden who had been sent to Ascot instead of riding Bravemansgame at Haydock.
Daryl Jacob stepped in on Bravemansgame but could do nothing to stop Royal Pagaille, who had won three of his four previous starts at Haydock.
Grand National winner Corach Rambler was third, while the 2022 Betfair Chase victor Protektorat finished last of the four runners.
At Ascot, Henderson was left perplexed by Shishkin and concerned he could repeat the performance if aimed at next month’s King George VI Chase.
“He jumps off every day. He’s a quirky character at times, but he will always jump off. He will never turn his head, never. He was in a mood today and he wasn’t for moving,” he said.
Grey Dawning won the Graduation Chase at Haydock to give trainer Dan Skelton and jockey brother Harry a 1,000th win together – a first in British racing for siblings.
At Punchestown, the Willie Mullins-trained State Man was an easy winner of the Morgiana Hurdle.
