SPARSHOLT trainer Harry Whittington described landing his first Grade 1 race with Arzal in the Merseyrail Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree as a fairytale.

Jumping boldly at the head of affairs, the six-year-old put up a superb performance under Gavin Sheehan to storm home by eight lengths from L’Ami Serge in the two-and-a-half-mile contest.

And Whittington, who started training with just five horses in September 2012 after running a satellite yard for Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson, said: “It’s unbelievable. You couldn’t write it -- it’s a fairytale.

“From the day I rode him out in France when we looked at him he oozed quality and I knew he had a proper engine.

“I was involved with Nicky with nice horses and I felt he would not have looked out of place there and he has fulfilled our expectations.

“He is at his best when he is going round a tight, flat left-handed track.

“He may come back here for the Old Roan Chase in October.”

Owner Tim Radford paid tribute to Somersby, who was retired after finishing fourth to God’s Own in the JLT Melling Chase at the Merseyside track.

The 12-year-old, who was trained by Henrietta Knight at West Lockinge before moving to Mick Channon’s West Ilsley yard when she retired in 2012, won seven of his 41 starts, including the Grade 1 Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot in 2012, earning more than £620,000 in prize-money.

Radford said: “He has run so many times and come second or third in nearly half of them. He’s great.

“It will be sad to see him go, but he’s done enough.”

Somersby will now go to Helen Newbold, who specialises in retraining racehorses at Wicken, near Milton Keynes.

Meanwhile, Channon struck on the Flat at Nottingham with Motdaw, who got off the mark with a six-length romp in an extended mile handicap under George Baker.

Whatcombe trainer Paul Cole was also among the winners with Baron Bolt, who opened his account by landing a five-furlong handicap at Catterick by six lengths in the hands of PJ McDonald.