TRAINER Shane Jackson completed consecutive Grand National Hurdles wins when Andy Win joined the stable’s honour roll alongside Highland Blaze at Sandown last Sunday.

With Tom Ryan up, Andy Win took the honours in the $250,000 feature over 4,200 metres having sat quietly off the pace in the field reduced to five.

Led out by the 2022 Italian Derby winner Ardakan, the Reliable Man gelding - with Martin Kelly in the saddle - was setting a true tempo that forced Tom Ryan to show his hand 1,200 metres from home as the leader threatened to run his rivals ragged.

Chiming in at the second last, Andy Win joined Ardakan with the even-money favourite Ongatiti in between the pair to make a trio. At the final hurdle Andy Win jumped a half-length in front of Ardakan as both jockeys dug deep. Tough to the end, Andy Win won by a length over Ardakan as Ongatiti faded and was beaten into third by Embezzler.

Cracking horse

“It’s unbelievable,” said Shane Jackson. “We won it last year and to win it again this year with Andy Win, he’s been a cracking horse.

“He made hard work of it, I don’t think there’s any jockey, except Tom Ryan, that would have won on him today.”

Jackson went on to reveal that he and wife Lauren are expecting another child in February.

This prompted Ryan to quip: “I think I might be the godfather,” as he walked past in the Jackson family’s stable colours of dark green with white epaulettes and sleeves.

THE Patrick Payne-trained Sing For Peace prevailed in a thriller to land Sunday’s A$100,000 Crisp Steeplechase at Sandown over 4,200 metres.

The Australian Steeplechase winner in May, when also ridden by Tom Ryan, was the second favourite behind the superstar Stern Idol in the field of seven. With Stern Idol setting the tempo, Ryan was content to sit two lengths off the Raven’s Pass 10-year-old.

An error at the second last up the hill the second time cost Sing For Peace a few lengths as Stern Idol slipped away by six. Ridden with a sense of urgency down the hill by Tom Ryan with two fences remaining, Sing For Peace narrowed the gap. Stern Idol put in a pair of tired jumps but remained in front until 250 metres from home.

Photo-finish

Ryan’s urgency was no less dimmed as Hit The Road Jack pressed Sing For Peace as Mr Lincoln launched late, closing rapidly to force a photo-finish. Hitting the line locked together, the result, by the narrowest of margins, favoured Sing For Peace and Tom Ryan. Hit The Road Jack was on their tail taking third with Stern Idol 10 lengths away in fourth.

“I thought we had thrown it away at the top of the hill, he made a really bad mistake,” said Ryan. “I thought the bird had flown, as in Stern Idol down the hill. I was really outpaced down the hill, but he battled all the way to the line and he made a really good jump at the last. I didn’t think we had held on, but luckily enough we did.”

Predominantly tried as a hurdler where 11 starts yielded two wins, Sing For Peace is two-from-two over the fences.

“I think jumps racing was the winner there. It was a fantastic race,” said Patrick Payne’s stable foreman Neil Greaves. “I think it’s a perfect time to salute the great Stern Idol.

“The scene is changing a bit and we’re lucky enough to have some of the better ones at the moment.”

SUPERSTAR steeplechaser Stern Idol, trained by Ciaron Maher for managing owner Gerry Ryan, was retired immediately after the Crisp Steeplechase. The 10-year-old leaving the racetrack sound and in good order.

“I’m so proud of him,” said Nikki White, Ciaron Maher’s Ballarat-based assistant trainer. “I thought he might have gotten away with it, as he’s done in the past, but he’s tired, he made a few mistakes. He’s been a wonderful horse.

“It’s a shame he couldn’t go out a winner, but he’s lost no admirers. He’s a special horse for all the team at home and we’re all going to miss him.”

A winner of three consecutive Crisp Steeplechases, a pair of Brierly Steeples as well as the Thackeray Steeplechase and the Australian Steeplechase, Stern Idol tallied up over A$1 million in earnings from 18 wins in 44 starts.

“The joy of seeing him as a foal in Ireland, I saw him race in France, it’s been a fairytale story, it’s been a wonderful journey,” said Gerry Ryan who confirmed that Stern Idol would be retired to Living Legends, a retirement farm for champion former racehorses including multiple Melbourne Cup winners near the Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne