CORAL SCOTTISH GRAND

NATIONAL (GRADE 3)

IT has taken a long time but Sean Quinlan, who would not have objected to the word ‘journeyman’ at the age of 35, finally landed a major prize when taking the Grade 3 Coral Scottish Grand National aboard Takingrisks at Ayr last Saturday.

The 25/1 shot, trained by Nicky Richards for owner Frank Bird, certainly lived up to his name because he blundered badly at the first and Quinlan lost his irons.

However, he recovered afterwards and moved into contention by the time they reached the 15th. In front four from the finish, he was hard pressed by Caroline Bailey’s Crosspark but saw out the near four-mile trip just that bit better and pulled four lengths clear over the final hundred yards. Cloth Cap and Blue Flight were beaten only a further nose and a neck in third and fourth.

A 10-year-old with only 10st 1lb to carry, Takingrisks was following up off a 6lb higher mark following his previous win at Carlisle.

Ayr suits him ever better and this was his third victory at the course. Cheekpieces appear to have helped the last twice and there is every reason to suppose he will prove a doughty competitor in long-distance handicaps next season.

“After he won at Carlisle I thought this might be just the race for him,” Richards observed. “Although it was heavy there, he handles this better ground as well. He’ll be put away for the summer now but you’d have to think of him as a (Aintree) National horse.

“My father Gordon won this race twice with Playlord and again with Four Trix, who beat another of ours, Tartan Takeover. It’s a great race to win.”

Quinlan came over from Ireland 14 years ago and struggled for good rides in the south. His career was going nowhere fast when he became involved in a pub brawl and was given a six-month suspended prison sentence five years ago, but that major setback was the making of him.

“I used to be such a wild man but my partner Lizzie (Butterworth) has really tamed me,” he said. “It was hard when I first came over but things improved when I moved north. Harvey Smith was a big help and gave me rides on some of his wife Sue’s horses.

“Lots of other trainers, including Nicky Richards, have helped me out and I’ve come in for more spare rides this season because of injuries to others. Today is easily the biggest win and the best day of my career.

“We had a scare at the first and it was just fear that kicked in and kept me going, but he jumped and travelled all the way. This is good for the north; it’s always hard for us when the southern boys come up here.”

Crosspark, quite widely tipped, is a year younger than the winner and was conceding him 7lbs. Bailey was delighted with him after a hard race at Newcastle and he is another to consider in top handicaps in future. There is also another good race in Vintage Clouds, who fell at the first at Aintree but showed himself none the worse with a fair effort behind the placed horses last week.

At 5/1 favourite he was the perfect example of an each-way value bet because one or two firms were paying out on the first six. It is as well to be up with the lark these days.