A MAIDEN hurdle winner as recently as last May, Andy Win has created history by winning the A$350,000 Grand National Steeplechase for trainer Shane Jackson at Ballarat last Sunday under sunny skies.

Settling midfield in the early stages of the 4,500 metre event, jockey Tom Ryan was content on the winner to wait as Golden Garden led the field. Behind by as much as 20 lengths on leaving the straight the first time, the chasing pack, headed by Mr Lincoln and Saint Eustace, decided enough was enough as they carted the field up to the front.

Across the double at the top of the hill, 1,000 metres from home, Ryan started to get busy. He got after Andy Win and the six-year-old Almanzor gelding responded to take up the bridle. Splitting the leaders down the side, Andy Win was in front at the second last fence.

Once they had cleared the final fence at the 200-metre mark, it was time for celebrations as Andy Win put up a comprehensive 12-length victory to become just the third horse in history to complete the Grand National Hurdle and Grand National Steeplechase double in the same season.

Preceding him in completing the feat was Mosstrooper in 1930 and Tallyho Twinkletoe in 2019. Second was Mr Lincoln with Sing For Peace third.

Important

“Incredible! It just shows you how important jumps racing is,” said Shane Jackson. “This horse would be doing well to win a (Benchmark) 58 on the flat and he’s won probably $300,000 to $400,000 in a (jumps) season.

“To go from a maiden hurdler at the May Carnival and to progress, let alone get running, over steeplechase fencing in the same season. To win the Lafferty Hurdle, the Grand National Hurdle and to change over to the Grand National Steeplechase - all credit to the horse. He’s as tough as old boots and we love him to bits.”

Jackson also needed to navigate an injury scare during the week. “I can tell people now that this horse schooled here on Monday when it was waterlogged and on Tuesday evening, he’d come out with a bloody foot abscess. I thought, ‘I can’t tell anybody about this and I can’t tell the jockey, for sure’ Thankfully I have a great farrier in Ballarat and my brilliant vets in Warrnambool. I’m lost for words. This is peak.”

Five wins

Andy Win has earned over $465,000 for connections from his past seven jumps starts that comprise five wins and two second places with Tom Ryan aboard for all bar one.

“He sauntered around there like an old man but when it came to the business end, he just gets stuck in,” said Ryan.

“It’s an unbelievable training effort to keep him going, to keep him sweet. I rode him in his ‘Chase trial a few weeks ago and I said ‘Jacko, this fella’s as flat as a pancake’ That’s just the way he is, but fair play to Jacko, what a training effort.”

Fox doubles up in Houlahan

THE Patrick Payne-trained The Cunning Fox, a winner of the J.J. Houlahan two years ago with Aaron Kuru up, before failing to finish in the 2025 Grand National Hurdle, returned with Tom Ryan up at Ballarat last Sunday to claim his second J.J. Houlahan Hurdle.

A late scratching reduced the field to three for the $100,000 feature over 3,250 metres, and the hot favourite’s chances looked dim rounding the bend the final time. Untethered had gone to an early lead and pressed his advantage trying to catch the favourite off guard.

Ahead by 10 lengths with three hurdles remaining, Untethered rounded into the straight still seven lengths clear with Ryan riding furiously on the favourite to close the gap.

Jumping the last cleanly, the needle hit empty for Untethered, as The Cunning Fox gathered him in the final three strides to claim victory. Bitcoin was a length away in second as Untethered had to settle for third.

Off the bridle

“We went at a ferocious gallop, and down the back I was totally off the bridle,” said Ryan in what he described as one of his most exciting big race wins.

“We jumped the fourth last and I said ‘this leader’s gone on me’ and I just had to bide my time. I got a right good jump at the third last and I said ‘now come on, on your bike’ and to be fair to him he had no right to run him down.

“He just pins the ears back and tries all the way to the line. We winged the second last and landed on the back of it, missed the last and yet he still picked himself up and went. I tell you he’s a terrier, an absolute terrier. If I was half as tough as him I’d be happy.”

The Cunning Fox, an eight-year-old Reliable Man gelding, has won eight of his nine hurdle starts since debuting in July 2024.

Asked about how well his season had gone Tom Ryan responded by acknowledging his fellow jumps jockeys. “Great, but any of those lads in there could do it,” said Ryan.

“You can’t do it without the horses, especially horses like him (Andy Win) and The Cunning Fox, Just warriors they are, and that’s the beauty about jumps racing.

“I mean where else would you get a crowd at Ballarat on a Sunday. And they’re here for the horse, which is what I love, it’s what we all got into racing for.”