Donald McCain’s Minella Drama went one better than 12 months ago to land the Virgin Bet Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase with a stunning display from the front at Aintree.

Ridden by Brian Hughes, Minella Drama has plenty of form on a track with which the McCain name will always be associated and the former champion jockey immediately sent his mount forward in the Grade Two contest, leading the length of the Paul Nicholls-trained pair 2-1 favorite Stage Star and Hitman.

Both Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor and Dan Skelton’s Grand Annual winner Unexpected Party raced amiably for their riders anchored at the rear of the field, but the eye was always on Minella Drama as he leapt nimbly from fence to fence.

The 3-1 shot was still leading as the field entered the home straight and he asked for a maximum effort from Hughes after two outs as the challengers emerged.

However, the nine-year-old responded to his rider’s every call and poked his head down playfully to see off Hitman, who was a length and three-quarters adrift in second.

McCain said: “It’s magical, he’s been a wonderful little horse who has deserved his big day.

“There’s no better place for him to do it. That’s what it’s all about and if we could pick and choose where for him to win, this would be the place. He’s got local owners and obviously we’re a local farm so it’s very special.

“He’s got good form here and was second in class a novice hurdle so he obviously likes the place and I’m sure we’ll be back here at some point.”

He was quoted at 16-1 by Paddy Power for the Grand Sefton Chase over Grand National fences at Aintree next month, but McCain has no particular target in mind at this stage after winning his local track’s first major race of the new season .

He continued: “I’ve always been inclined – because he’s so tough – to run him over a bit, but I don’t know if I’m going to take a patience pill now that he’s won his big one and give him the chance to regroup We’ll come home and sort it out that and there is no good plan.

“He hates turning straight out of the yard to go south, he likes to go north. It sounds ridiculous, but he lost the plot down at Ascot last year, I couldn’t even have saddled him up, he was so upset beforehand. There’s no rhyme or reason that it’s just him, so we take our time.”