There was delight for David Mullins just half an hour after winning the National as he followed up aboard Ivan Grozny in the Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.

Trained by Willie Mullins, the top-weight had struggled to recapture his best form in three runs this season after a lay-off but relished a drop in grade to run out a facile winner.

It had appeared as though Automated would take all the beating as Gordon Elliott's unexposed five-year-old cantered into a challenging position but he was left floundering in the testing ground.

He did pull six lengths clear of Bigmartre and Boite but he was fully eight lengths adrift of the winner who was returned at 16/1 and capped a fine day for his handler who had already scored with Yorkhill and Douvan

The gamble of the race, Dell' Arca failed to land a blow.