Randox Health Fox Hunters' Chase |
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| £40,000 added, Aintree 16:05 6yo plus, 2m 5f 19y, Class 2  |
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| Thursday 13th April 2018 | |
1 Balnaslow 11/2
2 Bear's Affair 20/1
3 Greensalt 66/1
4 Barrakilla 8/1
21 ran NR: Vincitore Distances: 2½l, 4l, 4l
Time: 5m 49.00s (slow by 28.00s)
Balnaslow wins and Guy Disney finishes unplaced on Gallery Exhibition
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O'Connor and the Graham McKeever-trained 11-year-old were sent off at odds of 11/2, and beat Bear's Affair by two and a half lengths.
O'Connor said: "He's a fabulous horse. He's a brilliant jumper and tries his heart out, and I couldn't have asked for the race to go any better.
"Personally, it's a massive thrill. Riding winners round the country is lovely, but there is something about the challenge, the trials and the tribulations of the Aintree fences. To achieve that is very fulfilling.
"The sad part of it is that Mrs Hagan [who owned Balnaslow; the horse is now owned by her executors] died last year; what a wonderful woman she was. Whatever I did on his back or Graham did on the ground, we definitely had help from elsewhere. This is tough for her family, who only buried their mother a few months ago.
"The race worked perfectly well for me. I had a great run around the inside and he jumped brilliantly through the race. In the latter stages of the race there were a couple of bad jumpers down the inside so I made the decision to switch out, and I got a perfectly clear run over the last four fences and came home very strong.
"Balnaslow has been exceptionally well-trained by Graham McKeever. It's a tight unit and a small yard where he gets all the attention he needs and Graham has done a wonderful job on him."
Alex Edwards, the Presenting 12-year-old's regular rider, was delighted with his charge's run if a little frustrated with the result, said: "He's run an absolute blinder and I thought I had it at the elbow - I thought I had just enough in the tank, but the winner just stayed on that bit better.
"He jumped so well and was an absolute pleasure to ride around there. He's better in himself this year.
"I just sat where he travelled comfortably and hoped I would get there, but it proved frustrating."
Guy Disney finished 12th and last aboard the Kim Bailey-trained Gallery Exhibition.
"Coming down there [first six fences on Grand National course] with Derek O'Connor in front of you, Jamie Codd there, Nina Carberry there, and you are popping away. It is lovely, it really is.
Disney, the first amputee to ride in a race over the Grand National fences, commented: "That is the sort of thing you would do every day until you die, if you could. That was very special.
"Gallery Exhibition is the most gorgeous horse. Down the far side, it is really soft and he struggled in that."
Fox Hunters' Chase
£40,000 added, 6yo plus, 2m 5f 19y, Class 2
21 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Balnaslow (IRE) 11/2 | Mr Derek O'Connor 12-0 |
G J Mckeever | 11 | |
| 2nd | 2½ | Bear's Affair (IRE) 20/1 | Mr Alex Edwards 12-0 |
Philip Rowley | 12 |
| 3rd | 4 | Greensalt (IRE) 66/1 | Mr W Easterby 12-0 |
W H Easterby | 10 |
| 4th | 4 | Barrakilla (IRE) 8/1 | Mr Z Baker 12-0 |
F O'Brien | 11 |
| 5th | ¾ | On The Fringe (IRE) 8/1 | Ms N Carberry 12-0 |
E Bolger | 13 |
| 6th | 2½ | Bound For Glory (IRE) 100/1 | Miss Hannah Lewis 12-0 |
D Fitch-Peyton | 12 |
| 7th | 5 | Unioniste (FR) 8/1 | Mr D Maxwell 12-0 |
P F Nicholls | 10 |
| 8th | 6 | Distime (IRE) 14/1 | Mr W Biddick 12-0 |
Mrs D Ralph | 12 |
| 9th | 7 | Sir Jack Yeats (IRE) 16/1 | Mr James King 12-0 |
Richard Spencer | 7 |
| 10th | 21 | Never Complain (IRE) 66/1 | Mr Charlie Marshall 12-0 |
Mrs F Marshall | 10 |
| 11th | nk | Wonderful Charm (FR) 8/1 | Mr S Waley-Cohen 12-0 |
P F Nicholls | 10 |
| 12th | 2¾ | Gallery Exhibition (IRE) 40/1 | Mr G Disney 12-0 |
K C Bailey | 11 |
| Also Ran: Curraigflemens (IRE) , Eddies Miracle (IRE) , Grand Vision (IRE) , Lilbitluso (IRE) , Mon Parrain (FR) , Rouge Et Blanc (FR) , Warden Hill (IRE) , Wells De Lune (FR) , Winged Crusader (IRE) | |||||
| NR | Vincitore (FR) | Miss S Rippon 12-0 |
Miss S Rippon | 12 | |
