Coral Scottish Grand National |
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| Ayr 16:10 Grade 3 Handicap Chase, £210,000 added, 5yo plus, 4m 110y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 16th April 2016 | |
1st Vicente 14/1
2nd Alvarado 25/1
3rd Seeyouatmidnight 14/1
4th Royale Knight 20/1
5th Vyta Du Roc 8/1J
NR: Fine Rightly (IRE), Gold Futures (IRE)
28 ran Distances: 2¾l, hd, 1¾l
TIME 8m 24.10s (slow by 22.10s)
VICENTE (14/1) wins the Scottish Grand National for Trainer Paul Nicholls & Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies
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Paul Nicholls landed a huge blow in the trainers' championship as Vicente claimed the Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase.
Having enjoyed a double earlier on Saturday's card thanks to Vivaldi Collonges and Le Mercurey, reigning champion trainer Nicholls hit the front in the battle with Willie Mullins after Vicente (14/1) scooped £119,595 at Ayr.
Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies was never too far off the pace under the seven-year-old novice and he stayed on strongly to score by two and three-quarter lengths from Alvarado, having taken it up between the final two fences in the four-mile contest.
Mullins' hopes of winning the big race for Ireland came to a premature end as Measureofmydreams crashed out in the early stages.
Then Folsom Blue, trained by Mouse Morris, who had won both the English and Irish Nationals, exited six out to end dreams of a historic hat-trick.
In the straight for the final time, it looked as though Seeyouatmidnight was going to strike for Scottish Borders trainer Sandy Thomson.
However, Vincente was brought with a perfectly-timed run to lead after jumping the last.
Alvarado (25/1) finished with a flourish to claim second place, two and three-quarters lengths behind the winner.
Seeyouatmidnight (14/1) was a head away in third with Royale Knight (20/1) fourth.
Twiston-Davies told Channel 4 Racing: "It worked out really nicely. He travelled well and he was good when he needed to be and that's what counts.
"It's given Paul a real chance of getting the trainers' championship. It's what we all work hard for."
Nicholls said: "That was a result. Brilliant ride, just we what we needed. It was perfect."
Coral Scottish Grand National
£210,000 added, 5yo plus, 4m 110y, Class 1
28 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in Places
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Vicente (FR) 14/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-3 |
P F Nicholls | 7 | |
| 2nd | 2¾ | Alvarado (IRE) 25/1 | Paul Moloney 10-6 |
F O'Brien | 11 |
| 3rd | hd | Seeyouatmidnight 14/1 | Steven Fox (5) 11-6 |
A M Thomson | 8 |
| 4th | 1¾ | Royale Knight 20/1 | Brendan Powell 10-13 |
Dr R D P Newland | 10 |
| 5th | 5 | Vyta Du Roc (FR) 8/1j | D A Jacob 11-2 |
N J Henderson | 7 |
| 6th | 7 | Sun Cloud (IRE) 40/1 | Jamie Hamilton (5) 10-6 |
J M Jefferson | 9 |
| 7th | 5 | Milborough (IRE) 25/1 | G B Watters (3) 10-8 |
I A Duncan | 10 |
| 8th | 1 | Masters Hill (IRE) 28/1 | J Reveley 10-11 |
C L Tizzard | 10 |
| 9th | 3 | Milansbar (IRE) 20/1 | Trevor Whelan 11-2 |
N B King | 9 |
| 10th | 14 | Shotgun Paddy (IRE) 20/1 | N D Fehily 10-13 |
Miss E C Lavelle | 9 |
| PU | Cause Of Causes (USA) 10/1 | B J Geraghty 11-12 |
G Elliott | 8 | |
| PU | Dolatulo (FR) 66/1 | Harry Skelton 11-2 |
W Greatrex | 9 | |
| PU | Emperor's Choice (IRE) 40/1 | Aidan Coleman 10-12 |
Miss V Williams | 9 | |
| PU | Midnight Prayer 25/1 | Wayne Hutchinson 10-12 |
A King | 11 | |
| PU | Goodtoknow 33/1 | Jake Greenall 10-11 |
Kerry Lee | 8 | |
| PU | A Good Skin (IRE) 20/1 | P J Brennan 10-10 |
T R George | 7 | |
| PU | Spookydooky (IRE) 16/1 | R Johnson 10-10 |
Jonjo O'Neill | 8 | |
| PU | Golden Chieftain (IRE) 14/1 | T J O'Brien 10-10 |
C L Tizzard | 11 | |
| PU | Berea Boru (IRE) 20/1 | Sean Bowen 10-9 |
P Bowen | 8 | |
| PU | Highland Lodge (IRE) 16/1 | Henry Brooke 10-8 |
James Moffatt | 10 | |
| PU | Straidnahanna (IRE) 33/1 | Danny Cook 10-8 |
Mrs S J Smith | 7 | |
| PU | Heathfield (IRE) 9/1 | M P Walsh 10-7 |
A J Martin | 9 | |
| PU | Ballyculla (IRE) 25/1 | G Sheehan 10-7 |
W Greatrex | 9 | |
| PU | Tour Des Champs (FR) 22/1 | Ryan Hatch (3) 10-7 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 9 | |
| F | Measureofmydreams (IRE) 8/1j | B J Cooper 11-3 |
W P Mullins | 8 | |
| F | Top Wood (FR) 50/1 | C O'Farrell 11-1 |
D Pipe | 9 | |
| BD | Folsom Blue (IRE) 16/1 | A Ring (5) 10-8 |
M F Morris | 9 | |
| NR | Fine Rightly (IRE) 25/1 | A E Lynch 11-8 |
S R B Crawford | 8 | |
| NR | Gold Futures (IRE) 25/1 | B P Harding 11-1 |
N G Richards | 7 |
