GRAND National specialists Raz De Maree and Ger Fox took the honours in last Sunday’s eventful running of the Paddy Power Cork Grand National when seeing off the persistent attentions of Forever Gold by half a length for his Skryne, Co Meath, owner James Swan and trainer Gavin Cromwell.
The 11-year-old has contested six nationals in his time, winning the same Cork race for the late Dessie Hughes four years ago and also winning the Munster National. He finished eighth in the big one at Aintree, as well as filling the runner-up spot in both the Midlands Grand Nationals at Uttoxeter and Kilbeggan.
That is some achievement for any horse and Raz De Maree has amassed more than €136,000 prize money in his six wins. Fox, meanwhile, who is attached to the Noel Meade stable, but rides out for Cromwell twice a week and also Francis Flood, has been the hero of the hour in both the Irish and Kerry Nationals.
Racing in third or fourth for much of the journey behind the favourite New Kid In Town, whose rider Ruby Walsh was forced to give up the mount and his remaining one due to back strain, the 14/1 shot jumped on at the penultimate obstacle and had sufficient in hand to claim the prize.
With Cromwell, who also supplied the fourth horse home in As De Pique, on duty at Naas, it was left to Fox to admit: “It was badly needed, for myself and the horse. They didn’t go over-quick in the race, which suited us, but we were worried about the ground being too quick because he wants it soft.
“He ran a great race in Gowran just over a month ago when second to As De Pique, so we were hoping to reverse the placings today. He made a very bad mistake at the fifth last and I don’t know how he stood up, but he kept finding and finding for me.”
Cromwell indicated the following day, by telephone: “The Troytown is a possibility and also the Porterstown Chase.”
MULLINS TREBLE
The rest of the day belonged to David Mullins and Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud who shared three winners between them. The season’s leading trainer Gordon Elliott supplied two of those in Blood Crazed Tiger and Bilko, while Mouse Morris rowed in with the Grade 3 novice chase winner Alpha Des Obeaux.
The latter was sent off the 9/10 favourite to follow up his Thurles win and lived up to his billing with a three and a quarter-length success at the expense of the hitherto unbeaten Westerner Lady, who blundered badly at the third fence. Further progression up chasing’s ladder is likely to await the six-year-old winner.
Morris said afterwards: “He jumped super and just idled in front but the operation was a success and the patient lived! He’ll be in the Drinmore Chase and the Florida Pearl at Punchestown and we’ll see.”
Elliott kicked off with another market leader, Blood Crazed Tiger (6/4), who made it four wins on the bounce in the listed Paddy Power-sponsored novice hurdle. The five-year-old son of King’s Theatre made virtually all, rallying after being headed by Screaming Rose before the turn-in to regain the lead at the final obstacle for a one and a quarter-length victory.
The trainer’s assistant Ollie Murphy observed: “He’s a tough, hardy horse and whatever he did this year was going to be a bonus, because he’s a big chaser down the road. He’s not the most straightforward horse, but David gets on well with him.”
Stable-mate Bilko doubled-up an hour later with a one and a quarter-length success in the Paddy Power Best In Betting Value EBF Maiden Hurdle. The French-bred even-money favourite was in the first two from the outset, behind Redrobin, and delivered his challenge on the run to the final flight, asserting half-way up the run-in.
The other joint-favourite, Snag List, made life difficult for her rider at times and had to settle for third place.
Murphy remarked: “He’s a lovely horse, a work in progress. He’s still a big green, raw baby and I’d say he won’t do much more this year. He’s a lovely horse for the future.”
WORTHWHILE JOURNEY
Enda Bolger’s Shropshire owner Jon Glews flew over from that morning to see Little Stevie, a horse he bred in partnership with Peter Knight, take his chance in the Paddy Power Betting Shops Maiden Hurdle.
However his participation was only 50/50 at that stage because as Bolger explained: “An hour before racing we were thinking of taking him out because we thought the ground was too quick for him.”
The well-backed 2/1 chance, with Brian O’Connell in the saddle, proved him wrong when heading the front-running Bensachuine between the last two on his way to a convincing six and a half-length victory over his rival.
His trainer commented: “It was a nice surprise, because he’s only back in since August and he’s a nice horse for the rest of the season.”
Glews has four horses with Bolger and the trainer was quick to add: “It’s very hard luck on Katie O’Farrell, who rode him when he fell here in March when he was going to win, because she was supposed to ride him but still hasn’t been cleared.”
Liam Burke saddled Coolbane West to cause a 14/1 upset in the 80-109 handicap hurdle, for which Call Vinnie headed the betting, with his three and a quarter-length defeat of Mississippi River. Owned by ‘Dan’ MacDonald, from just outside Fife in Scotland, who also has horses in training with Paul Nicholls, the seven-year-old “settled and jumped well,” according to his jockey Philip Enright.
Burke elaborated: “The hood has made all the difference to him and helped him to settle.”
Good Thyne Tara made it back-to-back wins in the Christmas Party Race Day December 11th Mares (Pro/Am) Flat Race for her English owner Nigel King, trainer Willie Mullins and his son Patrick, who took the race last year with Screaming Rose. The six-year-old Kayf Tara mare won by a convincing seven and a half-length margin from Sense Of Urgency on this her first outing since March.
Patrick Mullins said afterwards: “I think good ground sees her at her best and the extra year has improved her, too. She’s a fine big mare who’ll jump a fence and she’s definitely a blacktype mare. There’s that listed bumper at Navan but, being a six-year-old, she might go over hurdles. That’s for Dad to decide, but she saved the day for us anyway!”
ACTING STEWARDS
C. O’Mahony, Ms K. Horgan, P. McLernon, M.F. O’Donoghue.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
SENSE OF URGENCY (M.P. Sunderland): Should be capable of further improvement after making progress from the rear to finish third in the mares bumper. May be one to consider.
Jockeys suspended
NINE jockeys were each suspended for one day for disobeying the starter’s instructions in the Paddy Power Cork Grand National, thereby causing a false start. The stewards took their respective records into account when reaching their decision.