Native River© Photo Healy Racing
Native River ground his rivals into submission to post a game front-running success in the Betfred Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree.
The six-year-old chalked up his third victory of the campaign - and a first in Grade One company - when going one better than in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last time out.
Making use of his assured stamina, Richard Johnson wasted no time in getting Colin Tizzard's runner to the head of affairs in the three-mile-one-furlong event.
Although looking a sitting duck approaching the third-last, with Blaklion Un Temps Pour Tout Henri Parry Morgan and Ballyalton all still to play their hands, the 11-2 winner was in no mood to surrender his lead.
While most in behind failed to find as much as seemed likely, Native River kicked on again on the run down to last, and after clearing it with another bold leap, he powered up the run-in to score by three lengths from Henri Parry Morgan.
Having drawn a blank at Cheltenham Festival, it was a welcome big-race winner for Johnson.
The popular rider will be crowned champion jockey for the first time on the final day of the campaign at Sandown, but this was surprisingly his first Grade One winner of the season.
He said: "Cheltenham was frustrating and today, after finishing second in the first race, you feel like it's never going to happen.
"This horse has jumped really well and every time I asked him he kept responding. All the way from the second-last to the winning post, he kept giving me a bit more, which is all you can ask from a racehorse.
"He ran a great race at Cheltenham and Colin Tizzard's horses are in great form. I've had a great season, but to have a winner at a Festival does cap it all. It's fantastic."
The trainer's son and assistant, Joe Tizzard, said: "These are very special days and hats off to Dickie (Johnson), he's given him a cracking ride.
"The horse is a bit lazy, but he just keeps galloping. He ran very well at Cheltenham and today he was better again, perhaps. He's a lovely horse and he's improving all the time."
