IT was a very successful weekend for Co. Wexford natives at Aintree with Liam Kenny’s former charge One For Arthur winning the Grand National defeating local jockey Jamie Codd who finished second aboard Cause of Causes in his first ride in the big race. Denis Murphy continued this success, as he not only witnessed his former charge Finian’s Oscar land his second Grade 1 on National day, but he also enjoyed a treble at the new fixture and an across-the-card five-timer.

Newcomer Active Force (6/4 - 2/1) provided Murphy with his first winner of the day in the second division of the Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old maiden. The son of Oscar, who is out of an own-sister to Kates Benefit, was purchased for €25,000 at last year’s Goffs Land Rover Sale and received a confident ride from the returning Codd as he took up the lead from the second last to draw clear from his nearest rival The Devils Drop by six lengths. This was also an opening double for the winning owner Pat Coffey, who saddled Ayleoola to success in Belclare at almost the exact same time.

The stellar partnership of Murphy and Codd continued when Belmont Jewel (5/2) took the Connollys Red Mills five-year-old mares’ maiden, this time carrying the colours of Maria Byrne.

Following a fourth-placed effort behind the sales-topping mare Marie Banrigh at Lingstown last month, the daughter of Westerner made steady progress from the fourth-last fence before producing a challenge at the second last to score by one and a half lengths. Bought for €6,500, the winning mare is a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed mare Jessbers Dream, who is also a graduate of the Murphy yard following maiden success at Ballyvodock in February 2015.

FIVE UP FOR MURPHY

The appropriately named Pop The Champers (5/2) took the concluding contest of the day, the Porters Bar Kilenagh six-year-old geldings’ maiden, providing Murphy with his third winner at the fixture and fifth across the afternoon. Carrying the colours of Alan Harte, who enjoyed notable four-year-old maiden success in the autumn with Poli Roi and Warthog, the son of Scorpion was bought for €37,000 at the 2014 Derby Sale and his victory continued a successful season for jockey Rob James, who has a tally of 12 winners.

The opening division of the Tattersalls Ireland four-year-old maiden also stayed in Co. Wexford as the Donnchadh Doyle-trained Heroesandvillains (6/4 - 2/1) got off the mark at the third time of asking. Out of the eight-time winning mare Keys Pride, who was trained by Stephen Ryan, the son of Beneficial was bought by his handler for €40,000 at last year’s Derby Sale and made all to dictate the pace throughout under James Walsh.

The two and a half-length success for the recent Lingstown third saw him lead home a one-two for the Doyle brothers, with the Sean Doyle-trained Clash Of D Titans finishing second on his debut. With the winning handler racing elsewhere on the day, his representatives indicated the winner was now sales bound.

O’NEILL STILL TOP

Barry O’Neill maintained his advantage in The Irish Field rider’s title table over both Jamie Codd and Derek O’Connor, with all three title protagonists recording doubles on the day. The Colin Bowe-trained Lord Getaway (3/1 - 4/1) opened O’Neill’s account in the Tom Doyle Tiles five-year-old geldings’ maiden in the colours of his Roscommon-based owner and breeder Paul Gibbons.

An encouraging fourth at Ballyragget last month, the son of Getaway joined the leader and eventual runner-up Fenlons Court at the last and rallied well on the run-in to prevail by a head in a tight finish. “He has improved for having nicer ground here. He is capable of more than this and may well go to a winners’ race to prove his ability and value,” reported the winning handler, Colin Bowe. Out of the three-time winning French mare Terre D’Orient, the winner is also a half-sister Champagne To Go who won her maiden at Tyrella for the Jerry Cosgrove yard and has since won and been placed on the track for Kim Bailey.

The consistent Cavite Beta (11/10 favourite) provided O’Neill with his second winner of the afternoon in the Stone Solutions open for the Jim Dreaper yard.

Turned out quickly following an impressive success last weekend at Loughbrickland, the 11-year-old gelding supplied his owners, the Beta Chance syndicate, with a third winner on the bounce following his open success at Maralin in March. Positioned on the heels of the leaders throughout, the son of Old Vic, a five-time track winner, held off the challenge of Need To Know.

The winning handlers’ son Tom Dreaper was on hand afterwards to state: “He did it nicely although he probably was not as impressive as last week.”

MORE POWER SUCCESS

With Robbie Power enjoying a tremendous three days at Aintree to kick start his new partnership with Ann & Alan Potts, the success for the Power family continued in the IRE Wel Pallets & Casey Concrete winner of one when his cousin, Pierce Power, saddled Burning Ambition (4/7 favourite) to victory under Rob James.

Second to Fightfirewithfire on his debut at Ballinaboola, the son of Scorpion progressed to win at Cragmore in February and was in a different class to his rivals on just his third career outing. “He could be one to progress on through opens and make into a nice hunter chaser,” reported the winning handler. “He is a six-year-old but was only bought as a four-year-old unbroken and is well above average. We would not rule out selling but he would need to make a reasonable value as we know he is talented.”

Carrying the colours of the winning handlers sister in-law Alexandria Gardner, this consistent model is a half-brother to Adrian Maguire’s recent winners Knockraha Pylon and Knockraha King, while his dam is closely related to Champagne West.

New track unveiled

THE Island hunt unveiled their new track at Courtown, which is owned by Bert Allen and Pat Doyle who have both had close involvement with point-to-point ownership over the years. Bert Allen is the father of showjumper Bertram Allen and has had many horses run between the flags under the Slaney prefix in the 1980s & 90s.

An announcement was made before racing to recognise the achievements of local connections at Aintree over the previous days, with Jamie Codd, Denis Murphy, Liam Kenny and Sean Doyle, whose Ballinaboola graduate The Worlds End was a Grade 1 winner on Friday, all receiving the congratulations of the hunt.