Ayr Sunday
BETWEEN 1970 and 1982, no fewer than eight Scottish Grand National winners were trained north of Hadrian’s Wall, with Ken Oliver (four) and Harry Bell (three) doing the heavy lifting, while George ‘Pud’ Renilson saddled King Con to a shock win in 1978. All three trained within a few miles of each other, incidentally.
It’s proven harder for Scottish yards to get a foothold since those halcyon days, with only Merigo able to win for the home team in the intervening period, although Andrew Parker’s gelding did it twice in the colours of Ray Anderson-Green.
Perhaps the tide is turning again, as not only did Lucinda Russell capture the latest renewal courtesy of the Tom Scudamore-ridden Mighty Thunder, but of the first five to finish, four came from Scottish stables.
Mighty Thunder, sent off at 8/1 here, had been picked up late after leading in the straight in the Midlands National last time.
This time he delivered his challenge last of all to get the better of Sandy Thompson’s 7/1 market leader Dingo Dollar, who appeared to have the race at his mercy when going clear of stablemate The Ferrymaster at the third last, only to tire going to the final fence.
The sole Irish runner, Mister Fogpatches (Pat Fahy) was always prominent, and rallied late having got outpaced to finish third under Danny Mullins, four and a quarter lengths lengths behind the winner, with The Ferrymaster weakening into fourth.
Aintree fences
Winning trainer Lucinda Russell hopes that Mighty Thunder, who has improved markedly since stepping up to marathon trips, will become a Grand National contender next year, and intends to aim him at the Becher Chase in December as his medium-term target, in order to familarise him with the Aintree fences.
Milkwood gains rich reward for consistency
THE Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle saw Milkwood (Neil Mulholland/Sam Twiston-Davies) sent off 3/1 favourite after making the frame in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, Gerry Feilden and County Hurdle before this effort, and he was ideally suited by the test of speed invariably presented by this contest.
The son of Dylan Thomas typically travelled well held up, moved closer in the straight, and quickened away in style after pinging the last to put three and three-quarter lengths between himself and runner-up Anna Bunina (John McConnell/Brian Hughes), the same distance which had separated them when third and eighth in the County Hurdle last month.
Switch to fences
Mulholland was talking of switching to fences with Milkwood next season, but he’s inclined to have a crack at the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock next month before drawing stumps.
He used to be inclined to take quite a pull, but while he can still tank though his races, he’s more amenable to restraint than he was, and that should enable him to progress again next season.
Third home was the novice Tommy’s Oscar (Ann Hamilton/Danny McMenamin), half a length behind the runner-up, and producing another career-best effort in the process.
The former Irish points’ winner only made his debut over hurdles in December and looks a smashing prospect next season, when connection will have to mull over whether to keep him hurdling or switch him to fences.
Hamilton’s success
Ann Hamilton has held a permit since 1981/82, with the horses running in husband Ian’s colours, and they only have the facilities to keep a maximum of six horses in training.
Despite that, she has saddled a remarkable 12 winners from just 36 runners this season, including the Old Roan Chase with Nuts Well.
That horse is the best Hamilton has trained in four decades, but Tommy’s Oscar has the talent to be better still, and the success of the septuagenarians from north of Newcastle has been one of the feel-good stories of the season.
Allmankind gets the job done in style
A TEMPERAMENTAL display from main rival Tamaroc Du Mathan paved the way for Allmankind (Dan/Harry Skelton), but he stayed the longer trip of the Grade 2 Jordan Electrics Future Champions Novices’ Chase well, and that might give connections more options for next year.
Nimble jumping
The five-year-old put in what is becoming a customary round of jumping, not always fluent, but nimble in the air and gaining ground as a rule despite a technique which is unorthodox at times.
The Arkle fourth was allowed to drift to 11/10, and it’s possible than an on-song Tamaroc Du Mathan might have given him something to think about, but that rival was already well beaten when jinking and unseating Sean Bowen.
Malystic (Peter Niven/Brian Hughes) travelled well to the straight, but seemed to run out of stamina, and he finished weakly to be beaten 19 lengths into second.