Tote Bobbyjo Chase |
||
| Grade 2 Handicap, Fairyhouse 16:18 €28,500 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1  |
||
|
||
1 Any Second Now 6/1
2 Escaria Ten 13/8
3.Burrows Saint 6/5F
4 ran Distances: nse, 42l, 17l
Time: 6m 48.50s (slow by 35.50s)
Any Second Now heading for the Aintree Grand National after winning the @thetotecom Bobbyjo Chase under Mark Walsh @Fairyhouse for Ted Walsh pic.twitter.com/Nmy8QzvRhc https://t.co/00VnhFoeqw via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) February 28, 2022
Any Second Now was conceding 8lb to Escaria Ten and it looked as though the extra weight might take its toll as his rival set sail at the turn for home, with favourite Burrows Saint dropping away very quickly when asked to up his effort.
However, the Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now kept finding for pressure and Mark Walsh just got his head on front at the line to win by a nose, with 42 lengths back to the disappointing Burrows Saint.
MansionBet makes Any Second Now 11/1 and the Gordon Elliott-trained Escaria Ten 12-1 chances for Grand National glory after their photo finish.
Walsh said: “He can win at two miles, or he can win at three miles, or he can win at three and a quarter miles. That’s what you need going to the National, a bit of luck. He’s in good old nick.
“Six weeks to go and he didn’t have that hard of a race, he got a couple of smacks at the back of the last. He’s 10 years of age.
“I’d say Burrows Saint probably has a problem with his puff (wind) again, he cut out very quickly turning in when travelling really well.
“The second horse (Escaria Ten) is a good horse. There was a Thyestes winner (Coko Beach) in it, a Kim Muir winner (Any Second Now) in it and an Irish National winner (Burrows Saint) so it was a tidy race. The second horse was third in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and stays well.
“I was happy with my fella today and I’m glad I got a race into him. I’m delighted he got a few smacks and he had to go and do it. There was no point touring around. You want to be competitive as it is six weeks to the National, he needs to be fit and well for it.
“I’m delighted, I couldn’t have asked for better. I was coming off the stand and I was delighted if he was second, and I was delighted that the verdict went our way.
“He’ll go there (Aintree) fit and well with a clear run and everything going right for him.”
Bobbyjo Steeplechase
€28,500 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
4 ran
Going: Soft
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER
JOCKEY SP
1 Any Second Now 10 11-8 T M Walsh Mark Walsh 6/1
2 nse Escaria Ten 8 11-0 Gordon Elliott Jordan Gainford 13/8
3 42 Burrows Saint 9 11-0 W P Mullins Paul Townend 6/5F
4 17 Coko Beach 7 11-8 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 17/2
