Steeplechasing warrior Bashboy ($2.05 favourite) didn't quite make history when he finished second to the highly promising Wells ($7) as he tried to win his third consecutive Grand National Steeplechase at Sandown on Sunday, but the fact he was conceding nine kilos to his conqueror only added to his lustre  as he pushed him all the way in the 4500-metre marathon.

That is not to take anything away from Wells, who proved himself a  worthy winner of a race that was first run almost 150 years ago but has never been captured by any horse three times.

In the end, the weight difference - Wells was carrying 65.5 kilograms while Bashboy shouldered 74.5 - proved critical and more than compensated for the inexperience of the Kathryn Durden-trained winner, who was making his debut over the fences  having finished third in the Grand National Hurdle last start.

The Durdens - Kathryn's former champion jumps  jockey husband Craig is a major part of the  Geelong-based trainer's team - executed the plan to perfection, in no small part thanks to a patient tactical ride by Irishman John Allen.

Wells showed his inexperience early in the race when he made a hash of the second jump and Allen had to sit tight. But he kept the six-year-old son of Galileo in contention, and made his ground gradually as first Sea King and Maythehorsebemagic and then Sea King and Bashboy battled at the front of the-five horse field.-As the latter two settled down to fight out the finish at the top of the straight Allen took the shortest way home and a good jump at the last  sealed the outcome. Wells was able to stretch to a six-length victory as the weight difference told. Steven Pateman, aboard the runner-up, didn't punish the 10-year-old as he knew second place was assured.

Had Bashboy carried his 74.5 kilos to victory he would have been the first horse since Pedro's Pride to lump such a burden and win, her triumph coming with a kilo more in 1957.

For both horses the paddock and a long spring spell now looms.

Wells was bought by the Durdens from a Lloyd Williams dispersal sale as an unraced three-year-old. His breeding - by the prepotent flat sire Galileo out of a mare by a dual Guineas winner Rodrigo De Triano - suggests he might have been a Royal Ascot winner, but in racing over obstacles and extreme distances he has found his metier.

''He's promised to deliver. We always thought he would jump a fence, This was the plan the whole time,'' said Kathryn Durden.

''Bashboy is a champion, our horse was in fantastic at the weights. He's a good strong stayer, he has not had a lot of luck with wet tracks. Johnny rode him a peach of a race,'' added Craig Durden.

Winning jockey Allen said: ''We got the run of the race today. It was nearly all over at the second fence before it started, but we manged to keep intact.  He rode like the winner nearly everywhere. I was travelling so good I felt he had to win if he let down and he did. He met the last on a perfect stride and the rest is history. ''

Bashboy's trainer Ciaron Maher was  full of praise for his galloper, who was looking to win his 12th race in 15 jump starts.

''The nine kilos found it out. He's done a great job, he's run super and jumped well. He would have liked it more of a stamina test, he would have liked softer ground, it wasn't really too his liking but he's not let anyone down.''

He said he would still like to take the horse to try his luck over bigger fences and longer distances in England, but the decision would be made by Bashboy's owners.