CRABBIE’S GRAND

NATIONAL CHASE

(HANDICAP) (GRADE 3)

IT was a triumph for Ireland, a triumph for youth, a triumph for Aintree itself - hard to believe that the great race might easily have perished 30 years ago - but, most of all, it was a triumph for Mouse Morris.

Not only did the immensely popular Fethard man win his second Grand National in the space of 12 days, he did it with 33/1 shot Rule The World, a nine-year-old never previously successful over fences, ridden by a young man, David Mullins, who had never set foot on the course before the morning of the race.

Crabbie’s have been fine, imaginative sponsors of the famous old marathon and their final year delivered a riveting contest, one that will live long in the memory. Happily, all 39 runners returned safely for the fourth year in a row. Mullins is a truly gifted horseman, mature beyond his 19 years. Advised by winning owner Michael O’Leary to stay out wide, he gave Rule The World plenty of time to find his feet and was always going easily.

For a long time it looked as if last year’s winner Many Clouds, hugging the inside for Leighton Aspell, might follow up, while Saint Are, runner-up 12 months ago, was also prominent. However, it rained steadily during the day and ever-softening ground helped neither of them.

With four to jump, where the winner made his only mistake, Kim Bailey’s 8/1 joint-favourite The Last Samuri looked to be going best, with Dermot McLoughlin’s Vics Canvas, a remarkable 13-year-old somehow held together by Robbie Dunne after a horrendous mistake at Becher’s first time round, threatening to spring a 100/1 surprise.

RELENTLESS GALLOP

These two went on together, but all the while Rule The World was creeping closer and as soon as they jumped the last his relentless gallop was always going to gain the day.

In the end he had six lengths to spare over The Last Samuri, with Vics Canvas holding third ahead of Gilgamboa, Goonyella and Ucello Conti. This meant that Irish contenders claimed five of the first six places.

Morris, who lost his 30-year-old son Christopher – `Tiffer’ to everyone – in a tragic accident in Argentina last year, was too overcome to speak afterwards and even O’Leary, never short of a few words, seemed to struggle for a while. But his Gigginstown House Stud has now won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Don Cossack, the Irish Grand National with Rogue Angel and the Liverpool showpiece with Rule The World and when he found his voice the tributes flowed.

“It’s amazing and what a training performance,’’ he said. “The horse has broken his pelvis twice and Mouse has brought him back each time.

“He was second in the Irish National last year but to then come and win the greatest prize of all is just incredible. I think it’s wonderful for Mouse.’’

The fences were modified a while back, thereby ensuring the National would hold its ground despite various external pressures but, as Barry Geraghty pointed out, they still take some jumping.

Mullins, who went on to win the concluding handicap hurdle on his uncle Willie’s Ivan Grozny, never seemed troubled at all.

“I just couldn’t have expected things to have gone better,’’ he smiled. “That’s the best ride I’ve ever got off a horse and it was the best feeling in the world. Mouse is a genius,’’

Wherever one looked, there were stories coming out of a magnificent contest. For a start, Channel 4 should be congratulated on a sterling performance, with an audience in excess of 10 million rewarding its best effort yet. Suddenly, unfavourable comparisons with the BBC seemed rather less convincing.

Then there was Brian Cooper, first jockey to Gigginstown, who was due to ride the winner but changed his mind at declaration time and settled for First Lieutenant, a faller at the second.

One day a female rider will prevail, but this time Nina Carberry (deputising for Ruby Walsh) and Sir Des Champs came to grief at the Chair, while Ballycasey was about to finish a creditable 10th or thereabouts when unseating Katie Walsh two from home.

NATIONAL HANDICAP

The Crabbie’s Grand National is a ‘classier’ event these days but it remains, first and foremost, a long-distance handicap.

Rule The World may have started out a maiden over fences last week but his third to Rogue Angel at Listowel was a telling piece of form and, of course, a placed effort in any National counts for plenty, as both he and former Midlands National hero Goonyella showed.

Interestingly, those who kept to the ‘10st 6lb’ theory, which has done well these past few years, had a quarter the odds about Vics Canvas, while Rule The World had only a pound more on 10st 7lb.

The other key factor concerns age. It is seldom mentioned nowadays but nine-year-olds have a clear lead going back through the years and it was extended last Saturday.

Whether any of this is of vital interest to the Mouse that roared is questionable. For a few days yet, let us hope that sheer euphoria will do its level best in the unequal struggle against underlying sadness.

“He wasn’t a bad maiden, was he?” he said at last. “I think I’ll give up the fags!”

Well, those inclined to take him at his word will be looking around for a price. With all due respect, 33/1 has probably got a digit or two missing. In any case, the racing world likes Mouse Morris just the way he is. Great man. Great day.