JEZKI gave Tony McCoy a winner at what is his final Grand National meeting, when landing the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle, at the expense of second-placed Rock on Ruby.

Volnay De Thaix ensured that any stamina limitations of those stepping up in trip to two-and-a-half miles would be tested after setting a good gallop in the first half of the race.

It looked momentarily that the Nicky Henderson-trained runner, together with his stablemate Vaniteux and Seaborough handler Harry Fry’s stable star, may have slipped the rest of the field down the back straight.

As the race reached the business end the long-time leader paid the price for going hard early on and drifted back as Jezki and favourite Arctic Fire moved into contention from the rear to join Rock On Ruby.

But with Fry’s charge seemingly beaten off on the run to the last, an intriguing battle between Jezki and Arctic Fire looked set to commence until the latter wrapped the obstacle to unship Ruby Walsh, hampering Rock On Ruby in the process, and leaving Jezki to come home by an unchallenged 13 lengths.

After the race, winning jockey McCoy said: ‘’I’m going to miss horses like him, it’s nice he and I have finished on a winning note.”