EXCELLENT Rhythm, purchased for just A$2,000 three years ago as a jumping prospect by trainer Rachael Cunningham, put in a Crisp-like performance to win the steeple named after the great chaser of the 1970s who was famously run down by Red Rum 1973 Grand National.

Ridden by Jarrod Lynch the pair led all the way, and were over 20 lengths in front with 800 metres left in the 3,900 metre Crisp Steeple worth $125,000 and run at Sandown.

Giving away 6kg but digging deep to overhaul the tearaway leader, 12-year-old Sea King failed by just three-quarters of a length, with Monarch Chimes third.

THREE-YEAR JOURNEY

“It’s taken three years to get him here,” said Cunningham of the Elvstroem eight-year-old.

“We always had a lot of belief in his stamina, to beat good horses like this, we know how long he can sustain it for but he needs to get out and rolling. That was always the plan (to lead by a margin).

“It’s been the plan for the last few starts, it just didn’t work out that way. Jarrod’s done a lot of hard work on this horse, and I’m really glad he could ride him today, because he rides him so well, and always rides to instructions bang on.”

Missing the Crisp was Wells, winner of the race last year but he is still set to seek a fourth Grand National Steeple win at Ballarat on August 19th.

“He’s okay,” said trainer Kathryn Durden. “He had a bacterial infection last week and we treated him and everything appeared to be going along fine but we had a blood done on him yesterday and it’s just not quite right,” she said on Saturday.