Follow @ToteRacing On Twitter Bobbyjo Chase |
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| Grade 2 Handicap, Fairyhouse 15:25 €37,500 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1  |
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1 Nick Rockett 5/6F
2 Intense Raffles 11/4
3 Capodanno 14/1
6 ran NR: Affordale Fury , I Am Maximus
Distances: ¾l, 6l, 1½l Time: 7m 2.90s
Another impressive performance from @timmy_obyrne graduate Nick Rockett (WALK IN THE PARK) winner of the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase @Fairyhouse for @WillieMullinsNH and Stewart & Sadie Andrew. Bred by KD Cotter #CoolmoreNHSires pic.twitter.com/jAS3jcyHsz
— Catherine Magnier (@grangestud) February 22, 2025
Nick Rockett is now as short as 8-1 second-favourite for the Randox Grand National after grinding out victory at Fairyhouse.
The race lost a key subplot with the late withdrawal of last year’s Grand National hero I Am Maximus due to an infection, prompting Paul Townend to switch to stablemate Nick Rockett in the Grade Three contest.
Sent off the 5-6 favourite, Townend was content to track Intense Raffles, who attempted to make all. The pair were locked in battle approaching the final fence, jumping it almost in unison, but Nick Rockett’s superior stamina told as he edged out his gallant rival – conceding 3lb – by three-quarters of a length.
With that, Betfair wasted no time cutting his Aintree odds to 8-1, leaving only Inothewayurthinkin ahead of him in the betting for the April 5 showpiece.
This marked a second Grand National trial success for Nick Rockett, following his Thyestes Handicap Chase win at Gowran last month. Trainer Willie Mullins now has Liverpool firmly in his sights.
“I thought it was a lovely performance, especially beating an Irish National winner in the process,” said Mullins. “It was a proper Aintree trial, and I’m delighted.”
“He had to come back fairly quickly from the Thyestes, just over four weeks ago, and that was a tough race. But that should leave him spot on for Aintree. He’ll probably take a bit of time to recover, but we have that luxury.”
One major positive was Nick Rockett’s slick jumping – something that could serve him well over Aintree’s iconic fences.
“I thought his jumping was outstanding,” Mullins added. “We tried him in the Irish National last year, and it didn’t really work out, but I think Aintree might suit him better. Bobbyjo winners have had luck there before, so fingers crossed we can get him to the start in one piece.”
With I Am Maximus also on the Aintree trail, Townend now faces a difficult call. The reigning Grand National champion would have been his ride in the Bobbyjo, but circumstances forced a switch to Nick Rockett, who has now firmly entered the reckoning.
“We don’t need to make any decisions just yet,” Mullins said. “But stepping off last year’s Grand National winner wouldn’t be easy, especially given how well he handled the track.”
Despite missing his intended prep run, Mullins is not overly concerned about I Am Maximus.
“He’ll be fine – just bad timing. If anything, missing this might even be a blessing in disguise. Carrying that weight on this ground would have been no fun. We’ll know more come Aintree.”
Bobbyjo Steeplechase
€37,500 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Soft, Soft to heavy in places
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 273-41 Nick Rockett 8 11-0 W P Mullins PaulsTownend 5/6F
2 111-90 Intense Raffles 7 11-3 Thomas Gibney J J Slevin 11/4
3 408-P4 Capodanno 9 11-8 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 14/1
4 31-589 Minella Cocooner 9 11-0 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 100/30
5 702165 French Dynamite 10 11-6 M F Morris Darragh O'Keeffe 33/1
6 P-5978 Clonmeen 10 11-0 William P Murphy Simon Torrens 250/1
NR I Am Maximus 9 11-12 W P Mullins NON RUNNER
NR Affordale Fury 7 11-0 Noel Meade NON RUNNER
