GUNNESS KERRY

NATIONAL (Grade A)

SHE could hardly have hoped to ride her first winner over fences on such a high profile stage but Lisa O’Neill did just that as she teamed up with Gordon Elliott’s Wrath Of Titans to secure a famous win in the Guinness Kerry National.

Before the National Hunt season has got underway in earnest, Elliott has been busy picking up some high profile prizes to have thus far eluded his grasp and a first win in this race followed hot on the heels of his initial Galway Plate triumph.

However, the real story of this race was Lisa O’Neill, who demonstrated poise and polish in abundance to get the joint bottom-weight home in front of Rightville Boy.

Previously, the winning jockey had six point-to-point wins and 14 victories on the track to her name and, on this occasion, she realised her long-held ambition to ride a winner over fences on the track. For their part, Elliott and owner Gigginstown House Stud had their faith in the 7lb claimer rewarded in the best possible fashion as the rider and Wrath Of Titans (7/1) gelled superbly.

The well-backed Wrath Of Titans, who warmed up for this with a hard fought win over hurdles at Downpatrick last month, took up a reasonably prominent position in the main group.

However, for a good deal of the race it looked as though the pace setting Gas Line Boy, Ballycasey and Rightville Boy could dominate as they raced some way in advance of the main group.

menacing presences

It was all change on the approach to the straight as both Wrath Of Titans and Elliott’s Galway Plate winner Lord Scoundrel were menacing presences on the heels of the leaders.

The latter exited at the second last, having knuckled on landing, and this left Wrath Of Titans pressing Rightville Boy.

After the final fence Rightville Boy, who gave his all in a bid to provide Askeaton trainer Paddy Neville with a fairytale triumph, succumbed to his fellow lightweight, who scampered clear to carry the day by five lengths.

Gas Line Boy ran a tremendous race for English trainer Ian Williams to finish a further eight lengths back in third with the Dermot Weld-trained Three Kingdoms taking fourth. Lord Scoundrel would have been at least placed only for his unfortunate exit, while the favourite Folsom Blue was pulled-up.

“Lisa has given him a peach and I’m thrilled for her. She’s a huge part of the team. She works in the office, rides out, pre trains a few and just does everything,” said Elliott, who fielded six runners in the race.

“Michael (O’Leary) was quite keen to claim off the horse when he got in and I couldn’t look by Lisa.

“It’s brilliant to win this race and I’ve thought for the last few weeks that he could go close if he got in. I took a chance not running him over fences in the hope that he would get in and, happily, it’s worked out. I’d imagine that we’ll look at the all the decent handicaps with him now.”

Meanwhile, this victory for the rider came just two years after Katie Walsh became the first lady rider to strike gold in this race on Your Busy.

“It’s brilliant and I’m just very grateful for Gordon and Mr O’Leary for giving me the chance to ride him,” stated the jockey, who has worked for Elliott for the last three years.

“The 7lb claim was a help to him as he’s not the biggest horse. I always hoped to ride a winner over fences on the track and it’s brilliant to do it in a race like this.”