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Grey Abbey Returns To Lead Ayr Parade
17/04/07

GREY Abbey, the 2004 winner of the Scottish Grand National will parade before the start of Saturday’s race.

The 13 year-old retired chaser was one of the most popular winners of the race when making virtually all to win by a distance from Kerry Lads under a confident ride from Graham Lee.

It was the seventh time the grey had won at Ayr – once on the flat and six times over jumps and his performance that day in April, 2004 brightened up a bleak day which saw rain fall incessantly.

A wall panel in Ayr Racecourse’s Roman Warrior Restaurant in the Princess Royal Stand tells the tale of the horse’s love for Ayr and owner Steven Roper is delighted the old horse is making a nostalgic return to his favourite track.

Grey Abbey won 15 of his 43 career starts and over £360,000 in prizemoney firstly when trained by Barry Murtagh and then Howard Johnson.

Steven said : “Grey Abbey is retired and loves his new life on my dairy farm in Abbeyfield in County Durham. I thought it would be a great idea for him to parade at Ayr and contacted clerk of the Course Katherine Self.

“We are really looking forward to the day and it will give everyone a chance to see the horse who just couldn’t stop winning at Ayr.”

Ayr’s Clerk of the Course Katherine Self said : “Its fitting that Grey Abbey should parade before the race. The crowd here fell in love with him as much as he loved the course. We look forward to welcoming back the great horse to the scene of his famous triumph.”

Ayr’s two day Coral Scottish Grand National Festival kicks off on Friday with a seven race card with the first race at 2.20 pm Saturday’s action starts at 1.55 pm with the Coral Scottish Grand National due off at 3.35 pm.