ROSCOMMON can now add its name to the list of counties where an Irish Grand National winner was bred.

Perhaps it has been done before, but if not then Donal Walker from Drum, Athlone can take a well-deserved bow. He will forever be mentioned as the man responsible for producing Lord Lariat.

He also has the honour of breeding the winner of the 150th running of Ireland’s most iconic race, and the story of this winner is one that will give hope to many hobby breeders. What is especially pleasing for Donal Walker is that he bred and raced the dam, Johnny’s Pride, a daughter of Mister Lord (Sir Ivor), and she was the only winner of any kind from Torenaga Hill (Torenaga).

How patient the connections were with Torenaga Hill. She showed little in six starts under rules, finishing fourth of five runners in a Dundalk chase being her best effort, and she won once from 32 starts in point-to-points. That victory, 29 years ago, came at the age of nine in a mares’ maiden at Castletown-Geoghegan. Mind you, she did reach the frame a dozen times.

Perseverance paid off for Donal Walker with Johnny’s Pride too. Jamie Codd partnered her to a pair of wins as an eight-year-old, but Colin Motherway was in the saddle on her final career win – she only ever raced between the flags – when she landed an open at her owner-breeder’s local point-to-point in Roscommon. Ironically, she beat the favourite, Rock On Tom, that day and he had Jamie Codd in the plate!

Only gelding

At stud Johnny’s Pride had five foals, Lord Lariat being the only gelding. Two of the others are not named, including a five-year-old full-sister to last weekend’s hero, but the two that were named managed to be placed in point-to-points. None of their achievements compare with those of Lord Lariat, now a dual hurdle winner and four-time chase winner.

What a pity it would be if this branch of the pedigree was not given a chance. A trawl further back shows that the family is well capable of producing a good horse, given the opportunity.

Torenaga Hill only had four foals, as did her dam, the unraced Halidon Hill (Mugatpura). Only one of the latter’s quartet of offspring raced, but Torenaga Hill’s full-sister, Kayanna (Torenaga), did well at stud.

Kayanna’s winners included Mcgruders Cross (Toulon) who won the Grade 3 Slaney Hurdle at Naas, now a Grade 1 contest, one of six career victories he recorded. That gelding’s half-sister Princess Rosie (Roselier) didn’t run but the best of her progeny is another big race winner at Naas, Scoir Mear (Exit To Nowhere). He won the Grade A Leinster National and a Grade 2 novice chase at Navan.

Sold cheaply

Lord Lariat failed to sell as a yearling in the ring, but he did trade as a three-year-old at the Tattersalls Ireland August Sale four years ago, his co-owner PJ Casey signing for him at €5,500. He has now won, thanks to his haul at the weekend, some €325,000. Lord Lariat is from the 11th crop of his sire, Tullaghansleek Stud’s Golden Lariat, a son of Mr Prospector (Raise A Native).

Timothy Carey paid 22,000gns for Golden Lariat at the 2003 Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale. The then four-year-old, out of a Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) stakes-winning half-sister to the champion stayer and leading National Hunt sire Ardross (Run The Gantlet), was a dual winner, and his outstanding pedigree warranted him being given a chance at stud.

Sadly he never attracted large books of mares, became an approved stallion for the sport horse sector, but his later thoroughbred crops have shown that he is well capable of getting quality winners. His son Platinumcard is his only flat winner, and he was successful four times last year in England. He then transferred to Gordon Elliott and won first time out over hurdles recently for his new handler.

Prior to Lord Lariat giving Golden Lariat his first blacktype success, his sons Dingo Dollar and Take All were runners-up in the Grade 3 Scottish National and the Grade 3 Klairon Davis Novice Chase. Anyone with youngstock by Golden Lariat will be taking a second look at them now.

Golden Lariat is limited to 75 mares this season at a fee of €5,000.