Assemble was a comfortable winner of the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel on Wednesday.
Assemble takes the @GuinnessIreland Kerry National Handicap Chase!
— Listowel Races (@ListowelRaces) September 22, 2021
A thrilling finale with the @JosephOBrien2 runner getting on top late in the day with Shane Fitzgerald in the saddle ?? pic.twitter.com/wQ4bN6OAqa
Partnered by 7lb claimer Shane Fitzgerald, the seven-year-old provided his pilot with the biggest victory of his career when taking the €150,000 contest by two and three-quarter lengths from Brahma Bull, in a race that had its fair share of drama.
Starting at 9/1, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding travelled neatly behind the leaders, avoiding any trouble and throwing down a challenge with two fences remaining, catching long-time leader Annamix and holding off the rallying runner-up.
Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “On his form at Cheltenham this year when he was fifth in the Paddy Power (Plate), he’d a good chance. He’s always threatened he’d stay well.
“Shane seems to get a lovely tune out of him. He’s a horse that has fallen three times but he’s a great horseman and got him jumping.
“He’d a nice position the whole way. I thought turning all you’ve got to do is jump the last two and he’d win because he’d keep galloping. The ground probably suited him as well.”
He added: “Now that his jumping has got together hopefully he’s got a good future. He could be an Irish National, horse but that’s for Joseph and Mr (Michael) O’Leary to decide.”
Fitzgerald, from Buttevant in Co Cork, added: “It’ll probably take a good while to sink in, but it’s unreal. It’s an absolutely massive thanks to Joseph O’Brien and to Gigginstown – to everyone in the yard, and all the staff that put in all the work to get to days like this that we’re all very grateful for.
?? "I'm absolutely speechless."
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 22, 2021
Shane Fitzgerald enjoyed the biggest success of his burgeoning career when landing the Guinness Kerry National aboard Assemble for @JosephOBrien2 & he reflects on his @ListowelRaces win pic.twitter.com/NYVBJ8zDaR
“It’s some thrill, and just to be on a horse of that calibre is just unreal. It’s hard to describe, the feeling is just unreal.
“He had a couple of F’s on his card, but I thought I got a great spin off him in the Galway Plate. He finished seventh and ran an absolute cracker. We thought the flatter track here would suit him.
“I was happy everywhere I went today. When I turned for home and gave him a squeeze and he picked up, I knew I was full of horse going to the second-last. I knew if something came to me, he was going to battle hard if need be.
“It’s fairytale stuff. You can’t really describe it.”
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