Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle
Grade 1, Aintree 15:00
£100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus,
2m 4f, Class 1  
Saturday 15th April 2023

1 Irish Point 5/1
2 Kateira 14/1
3 Hermes Allen 3/1F
14 ran NR: Mofasa Distances: 3½l, 2¾l, 7l
Time: 4m 50.05s (slow by 5.05s)

Irish Point under Davy Russell – winning his second Grade One of the week – ran in mid-division and crept into a more prominent position as the field turned for home.

Behind the leaders over the penultimate hurdle, the five-year-old took up the lead over the last and pulled clear up the home straight to win comfortably from Kateira, who was three and a half lengths in arrears.

Elliott said: “We decided we’d miss Cheltenham and come here fresh and it worked out well. He travelled well the whole way and everything was great.

“He’s a nice horse. He could go chasing next season or he could stay over hurdles. He likes soft ground and there’s a lot of prize-money to be won with him in Ireland (over hurdles).

“It’s brilliant for Davy. He’s after getting two Grade Ones this week now and as I’ve said we’re nearly at the end of him. He deserved a good send-off and he’s getting it now.”

Russell – who called a temporary halt to his retirement to fill in for the injured Jack Kennedy, but did not enjoy the best of weeks at Cheltenham – said: “I left out my wife yesterday (after winning on Gerri Colombe), but she was actually very upset after Cheltenham. Her dad passed away recently, the whole thing caught up with her and she stressed to me that I needed to get back in and not finish on the note that I finished on.

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“Obviously Gordon jumped in as well and between the two of them they made it very comfortable for me to go ahead and do it.

“I was happy enough to finish after Cheltenham – I’m big enough to accept it. I’m lucky I can go back through the years and remember them, but now this really does put a shine on the trophy.”

Of Irish Point, he added: He could be anything. All along I thought he was immature, but today he just seemed to have come of age.

“He does stay well and jumps fantastic. He could go chasing or he could stay over hurdles. I think a summer’s grass, bring him back in and see what happens.

“It is great to be here and big winners are hard to come by, so we like to enjoy them while they are here.

“I don’t want to say this is my last day riding and then come back for a third time, but I’m enjoying it, anyway. It’s great, you have to take it all in.

“Aintree is very special. It is a special place. I just hope the people of Liverpool and the people of England realise what they have here. You can’t get this anywhere else in the world, it is very special.”

QuinnBet

Mersey Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
£100,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 4f, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good to Soft

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Irish Point 5 11-7 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 5/1
2 3½ Kateira 6 11-0 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 14/1
3 2¾ Hermes Allen 6 11-7 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 3/1
4 7 Letsbeclearaboutit 8 11-7 Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue 14/1
5 2½ You Wear It Well 6 11-0 Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan 13/2
6 1¼ Springwell Bay 6 11-7 Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr 11/1
7 ½ Crambo 6 11-7 Fergal O'Brien Connor Brace 20/1
8 3½ Authorised Speed 6 11-7 Gary Moore Jamie Moore 12/1
9 3½ Blow Your Wad 5 11-7 Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard 22/1
FELL Dark Raven 6 11-7 W P Mullins Paul Townend 100/30
FELL Cool Survivor 6 11-7 Gordon Elliott Rachael Blackmore 50/1
PU Stony Man 7 11-7 Gary Hanmer Sean Bowen 250/1
PU Hallwood 6 11-7 Mark Rimell Adam Wedge 200/1
PU Uncle Bert 6 11-7 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 80/1
NR 10 Mofasa 7 11-7 Michael Scudamore NON RUNNER

Trainers Quotes