Coral Scottish Grand National |
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| Ayr 16:05 Grade 3 Handicap Chase, £215,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 7f 176y, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 21st April 2018 | |
1 Joe Farrell 33/1
2 Ballyoptic 9/1
3 Vintage Clouds 12/1
4 Doing Fine 12/1
29 ran NR: Alvarado, Mysteree Distances: nse, 4l, 7l
Time: 8m 0.50s (fast by 1.50s)
Joe Farrell wins for Adam Wedge and Rebecca Curtis
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Sent off a 33-1 chance in the hands of Adam Wedge, the Rebecca Curtis-trained winner dug deep on the run to the line, with just a nose separating the two runners after four miles of racing.
Leading fancy Vintage Clouds was to the fore throughout and he assumed control of matters with five to jump, but Wedge was tracking his move aboard Joe Farrell and eased into second on jumping the next fence.
With momentum in his favour, Wedge committed for home with three to jump and as Vintage Clouds began to toil, Ballyoptic hit top stride for Tom Bellamy.
Switched for his challenge after the last, Ballyoptic tried his best to reel in the winner but Joe Farrell, who was getting a stone from the runner-up, clung on at the line.
Vintage Clouds claimed third, with Doing Fine fourth, but 7-1 favourite Fagan was never sighted for Gordon Elliott.
Wedge told ITV Racing: "He stuck his head out like an absolute lion for me after the last.
"I could feel Tom Bellamy (on Ballyoptic) getting to me all the way, but he's tried his heart out.
"The mistake at the last fence didn't stop him. I was going to take a pull, but he's taken it on. Fair play to him, he knew better than me."
Curtis said: "We've had a difficult season. I thought it was a big ask. He's still a novice for a big race like that, but I knew he'd stay all day.
"He wanted a bit better ground, so that was brilliant.
"It's my first time in Scotland.
"He idled at the end in front. If he'd have got beaten on the line, I'd have been gutted. Watching it, I thought he had held on - I hoped he had.
"I own a quarter of him. I bought him quite cheaply out of John Ferguson's sale. He had broken down on both his front legs. I took a chance with him and thankfully he's won a big race. It's all paid off."
Coral Scottish Grand National
£215,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 7f 176y, Class 1
29 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Joe Farrell (IRE) 33/1 | Adam Wedge 10-6 |
Miss R Curtis | 9 | |
| 2nd | nse | Ballyoptic (IRE) 9/1 | Thomas Bellamy 11-6 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 8 |
| 3rd | 4 | Vintage Clouds (IRE) 12/1 | Danny Cook 10-12 |
Mrs S J Smith | 8 |
| 4th | 7 | Doing Fine (IRE) 12/1 | N D Fehily 10-6 |
N P Mulholland | 10 |
| 5th | 1¾ | Vicente (FR) 8/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies 11-7 |
P F Nicholls | 9 |
| 6th | nse | Label Des Obeaux (FR) 20/1 | Wayne Hutchinson 11-4 |
A King | 7 |
| 7th | 3 | Pearl Swan (FR) 66/1 | James Bowen (3) 10-5 |
P Bowen | 10 |
| 8th | 4½ | Sizing Codelco (IRE) 28/1 | Paul O'Brien (5) 11-7 |
C L Tizzard | 9 |
| 9th | 10 | Fact Of The Matter (IRE) 50/1 | Harry Bannister 10-0 |
Jamie Snowden | 8 |
| 10th | 7 | Regal Flow 25/1 | Sean Houlihan (5) 11-2 |
R H Buckler | 11 |
| 11th | 3½ | Alzammaar (USA) 50/1 | Callum Bewley (3) 10-1 |
Sam England | 7 |
| 12th | 1 | Silsol (GER) 14/1 | Harry Cobden 10-13 |
P F Nicholls | 9 |
| 13th | 20 | Work Du Breteau (FR) 100/1 | Bridget Andrews (3) 10-6 |
D Skelton | 8 |
| PU | Gold Present (IRE) 20/1 | Nico de Boinville 11-12 |
N J Henderson | 8 | |
| PU | Beware The Bear (IRE) 14/1 | J McGrath 11-6 |
N J Henderson | 8 | |
| PU | Fagan 7/1f | D N Russell 11-4 |
G Elliott | 8 | |
| PU | Sizing Tennessee (IRE) 10/1 | R M Power 11-2 |
C L Tizzard | 10 | |
| PU | West Approach 33/1 | T Scudamore 11-1 |
C L Tizzard | 8 | |
| PU | Get On The Yager 28/1 | Harry Skelton 10-11 |
D Skelton | 8 | |
| PU | Henri Parry Morgan 18/1 | Sean Bowen 10-10 |
P Bowen | 10 | |
| PU | Benbens (IRE) 40/1 | Aidan Coleman 10-9 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 13 | |
| PU | Looking Well (IRE) 16/1 | Ryan Day (3) 10-8 |
N G Richards | 9 | |
| PU | Cogry 25/1 | Jamie Bargary 10-8 |
N A Twiston-Davies | 9 | |
| PU | Straidnahanna (IRE) 66/1 | Henry Brooke 10-7 |
Mrs S J Smith | 9 | |
| PU | Glencairn View (IRE) 11/1 | D E Mullins 10-4 |
A Mullins | 8 | |
| PU | Boa Island (IRE) 100/1 | C O'Farrell 10-1 |
James Moffatt | 8 | |
| PU | Racing Europe (IRE) 100/1 | D R Fox 10-0 |
B Ellison | 9 | |
| F | Indy Five (IRE) 25/1 | B Hughes 10-7 |
David Dennis | 8 | |
| UR | The Young Master 12/1 | Mr S Waley-Cohen (3) 10-3 |
N P Mulholland | 9 | |
| NR | Mysteree (IRE) | R T Dunne 10-7 |
M Scudamore | 10 | |
| NR | Alvarado (IRE) | Non Runner 10-1 |
F O'Brien | 13 |
