CHARLBURY-BASED amateur rider David Maxwell is looking forward to having a crack at Aintree’s formidable fences on Shantou Flyer after his mount finished a gallant second at the Cheltenham Festival.

Maxwell was thrilled by the

nine-year-old’s effort in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase as the 7-1 shot chased home Hazel Hill, who triumphed by four lengths.

Now he could tackle the Randox Health Foxhunters’ Chase on the Richard Hobson-trained gelding, who ran in the Grand National last season when he was pulled up five from home.

Maxwell said: “We just kept kicking, I think all the pace came from the front. God what fun. I mean what is to beat that, galloping around Prestbury Park a couple of times.

“We will have a look at him after the race, but you would have to fancy him at Aintree. He jumped round the National last year. He would deserve to go and take his chances there.”

Maxwell has another option for Aintree in 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup third Road To Riches after the David Christie-trained veteran advertised his credentials with an easy 14-length victory in a Carlisle hunters’ chase.

Meanwhile, Charlie Longsdon’s Chipping Norton yard emerged from a quiet spell with a 43-1

across-the-card double courtesy of Diger Daudaie at Uttoxeter and Forth Bridge at Kempton.

Forth Bridge (7-1), owned by The Queen, ended a frustrating run of near-misses with a six-length success in the Matchbook Silver Bowl Handicap Chase to cap a memorable week for jockey Nico de Boinville, a day after he was crowned leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival.

Speaking from Uttoxeter, Longsdon commented: “He has been sort of left in front a few times and pulled himself up and I said to Nico, who is riding supremely well at the moment, almost have something to aim at going to the last and it obviously worked.”

The trainer also praised Abbie McCain after she got Diger Daudaie (9-2) home by a head from Nearly Perfect and Bryony Frost in a thrilling finish to a lady riders’ handicap hurdle at the Staffordshire track.

“She gave him a great ride,” he said. “He has hit flat spots in the past. She didn’t give him the chance to do that. I don’t want to give him any more runs this season. He’s a chaser through and through and I’m delighted for Abbie.”