Point Barrow made the best possible start to his racing career when landing a 12-runner bumper at Leopardstown in December, 2003. Despite falling on his hurdling bow at Naas the following month, he made amends next time out back at Leopardstown, showing a good attitude to hold off Mesmeric by a head. He went on to run with credit in better company that season, chasing home Sadlers Wings in Grade Two company at Fairyhouse, and running fifth to the same rival in the Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April, 2004. Sent novice chasing for the 2004/05 season, Point Barrow followed two good efforts with a hat-trick of wins, including the Grade Two Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase and the Grade Three Ten Up Novice Chase, both at Naas over three miles. He acquitted himself well when a close fifth to Another Rum in the 2005 National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival over four miles and a furlong, before failing to get competitive behind Numbersixvalverde in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Point Barrow started the 2005/06 campaign in disappointing fashion, managing no better than sixth in five outings, but came back to form with a vengeance when landing a 20/1 surprise in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April, 2006, coming home a length in front of Oulart under Philip Carberry. This season again started slowly for Point Barrow, with four outings yielding nothing better than a fourth-placed finish (also pulled up once and brought down on another occasion), yet he showed the level of ability he possesses when out-pointing A New Story in the valuable Pierse Leopardstown Handicap Chase on January 14, a tremendous effort under top weight. Point Barrow ran well on his penultimate start in the Grade Two Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on February 24, when a close third behind Homer Wells and Jack High, with 2006 John Smith’s Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde a length further back in fourth. He completed his John Smith’s Grand National preparation with a fine effort over hurdles at Navan on March 23, staying on well to take third behind Kenilworth.

Race Record: Starts: 26; Wins: 7; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 2; Win and Place prize money: £226,557

Pat Hughes
Born on March 10, 1943, Pat Hughes took out his first trainer’s licence in 1977. Based at Fenniscourt, Bagenalstown, in Co Carlow, one of his best horses in the early years was Potato Merchant, a useful dual-purpose performer who landed the 1980 Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh. Hughes has tasted success at the Cheltenham Festival, landing the Royal & SunAlliance Chase in 1985 with Antarctic Bay, and he sent out Sharpaten to capture the John Smith’s Extra Smooth Handicap Hurdle at Aintree in 2000. He has also won the Irish Grand National twice with Insure (1986) and Point Barrow (2006), the Pierse Hurdle (formerly the Ladbroke Hurdle) twice with Mantles Prince (2000) and Grinkov (2001), while Time Machine took the 1985 Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot. Other high class winners include Barrow Line (1986 Drinmore Novice Chase, 1987 Arkle Challenge Cup), Abbey Glen (1987 Drinmore Novice Chase, 1987 Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase), Quinze (1997 Lartigue Hurdle, 1999 Galway Hurdle) and his current stable star Point Barrow, who this year added the valuable Pierse Leopardstown Chase to his previous victory in the Irish Grand National. Point Barrow will be Pat Hughes’ first runner in the John Smith’s Grand National.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: No Previous Runners

Clune Hughes
Clune Hughes is the wife of Pat Hughes’ cousin, Paddy Hughes, a farmer and engineer, and owns Point Barrow in partnership with Helen O’Dwyer, a retired chemist, and retired solicitor John Foley. The trio own one other horse with Pat Hughes, six-year-old gelding River Barrow, while John Foley owned Barrow Line, a top-class chaser who won the Drinmore Novice Chase and the Arkle Challenge Cup during the 1986-87 season. Point Barrow was originally bought as a four-year for another client, however they declined the youngster as being too expensive, and when John Foley asked Pat Hughes if he had any horses for sale, the deal was sealed. Last year, along with Pat Hughes, Clune Hughes, Helen O’Dwyer and John Foley were the guests of Carlow County Council at a civic reception to recognise their achievements with Point Barrow, who captured the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April, 2006, while this year their talented nine-year-old landed the valuable Pierse Leopardstown Chase. Helen O’Dwyer’s husband, Michael O’Dwyer, is the owner of another John Smith’s Grand National entry, the Willie Mullins-trained Bothar Na.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: No Previous Runners