Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Aintree 16:20 £150,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 149y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 6th April 2019 | |
1 If The Cap Fits 7/1
2 Roksana 10/1
3 Apples Jade 5/6F
15 ran Distances: hd, nk, 11l
Time: 5m 58.20s (slow by 4.20s)
If The Cap Fits prevails in a desperately tight finish from Roksana and Apple's Jade
Unbelievable finish! If The Cap Fits gets up on the line to deny Roksana and the brave Apple's Jade in the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle at @AintreeRaces pic.twitter.com/rPpCbvCsE4
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 6, 2019
Jockey Sean Bowen scored his first Grade One win aboard the Harry Fry-trained If The Cap Fits, who stepped up to three miles for the first time.
Seven-year-old If The Cap Fits got the best of a thrilling three-way finish with favourite Apple's Jade, eventual third, and runner-up Roksana. If The Cap Fits won by a head at odds of 7/1, with Apple's Jade a neck behind Roksana.
Bowen said: "It's unbelievable, I can't believe it, it's brilliant. Harry has obviously been great to me this season and it's fantastic to repay him with a winner like that. It's nice to get Noel [Fehily, who recently retired from race-riding] out the way as well!"
The son of Milan had previously been ridden by Fehily, who retired from race-riding at the age of 43 last month. Fehily was one of the first to congratulate Bowen.
Bowen continued: "If The Cap Fits has a lovely way of racing over three miles. He relaxed beautifully, travelled really well without being too keen and jumped really well, bar the last when I needed a good one. He missed that and I thought, 'race over. I'll wait a bit longer for my first Grade One winner'.
"There wasn't a whole lot of room; he did very well to battle between two horses getting sandwiched like that, and the two mares were getting 7lb off him as well. He was tough from the back of the last and he's a gutsy horse.
"Everywhere I went, I couldn't have been happier with the way I was going. I was tracking the right two into the straight, and obviously the question mark was whether he would get the three miles, and he got it very well."
If The Cap Fits is owned by Paul and Clare Rooney and it is the seven-year-old son of Milan's first Grade 1 success. It is also trainer Harry Fry's first victory at the Randox Health Grand National Festival.
"I thought the mistake at the last that was us cooked and he had every excuse after to give up - he didn't have much room, the gap was closing, but he wanted it and he toughed it out," said Fry, adding: "The step up in trip to three miles has worked and I am delighted - Paul and Clare are here today, it is a fantastic occasion.
"He has been a really consistent horse all season, we've always thought he that he is high-calibre horse and now he is a Grade 1 winner!
"It has been a great team effort, these Grade 1s are pretty rare to win. Jockey Noel [Fehily], who has recently retired, always thought a lot of the horse. He put a lot of time into the horse and has been integral to bringing the horse to this point. Sean has been the beneficiary today and he is a fantastic young jockey - it is his first Grade 1 win and I am delighted for him.
"Last year If The Cap Fits was fancied for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, but he had a set back and we had to miss that, but Paul and Clare said to just be patient and to give the horse a chance - I am delighted for them to get a big winner on this big day."
Owner Paul Rooney was all smiles: "He was very tough out there. I thought up the straight we were running out of petrol, but he dug in and he got there. He stumbled at the last and did so well to get back up."
Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle
£150,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 149y, Class 1
15 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
| Pos | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | If The Cap Fits (IRE) 7/1 | Sean Bowen 11-7 |
H Fry | 7 | |
| 2nd | hd | Roksana (IRE) 10/1 | Harry Skelton 11-0 |
D Skelton | 7 |
| 3rd | nk | Apple's Jade (FR) 5/6f | J W Kennedy 11-0 |
G Elliott | 7 |
| 4th | 11 | William Henry (IRE) 8/1 | Nico de Boinville 11-7 |
N J Henderson | 9 |
| 5th | 5 | Lord Napier (IRE) 40/1 | James Bowen 11-7 |
P Bowen | 6 |
| 6th | 10 | West Approach 33/1 | T Scudamore 11-7 |
C L Tizzard | 9 |
| 7th | 1½ | Agrapart (FR) 66/1 | Lizzie Kelly 11-7 |
Nick Williams | 8 |
| 8th | 1¾ | Sam Spinner 7/1 | Joe Colliver 11-7 |
Jedd O'Keeffe | 7 |
| 9th | 3 | The Worlds End (IRE) 25/1 | P J Brennan 11-7 |
T R George | 8 |
| 10th | 1¾ | Clyne 50/1 | Adam Wedge 11-7 |
Evan Williams | 9 |
| 11th | 1½ | Wholestone (IRE) 16/1 | D A Jacob 11-7 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 8 |
| 12th | 3½ | Unowhatimeanharry 25/1 | M P Walsh 11-7 |
H Fry | 11 |
| 13th | 2¾ | Kilbricken Storm (IRE) 25/1 | H Cobden 11-7 |
C L Tizzard | 8 |
| PU | Nautical Nitwit (IRE) 80/1 | Thomas Dowson 11-7 |
P A Kirby | 10 | |
| PU | Sykes (IRE) 40/1 | Matt Griffith 11-7 |
Nicky Martin | 10 |
