William Hill Grand National Trial
 QuinnBet
Grade 3 Handicap Chase 14:40
Haydock Park
£75,000 added, 5yo plus,
3m 4f 97y, Class 1   
Saturday 20th February 2021

BetZone

1 Lord Du Mesnil 8/1
2 Achille 11/1
3 The Two Amigos 13/2
9 ran Distances: ½l, 7½l, 2¼l
Time: 8m 12.91s (slow by 52.91s)

Second 12 months ago, Richard Hobson’s Lord du Mesnil led them all a merry dance from the outset – and showed stamina and guts aplenty at the finish.

Having seemingly put the race to bed two out, Venetia Williams’ Achille arrived late on the scene but Lord Du Mesnil and Paul O’Brien were not to be denied.

Relishing the thorough test and showing that the extra distance in the Randox Grand National will surely be no problem, the 8-1 chance pulled out more to win by half a length. The Two Amigos ran another creditable race to be third.

“That was a great performance today to carry 2lb more than last year, I’m chuffed to bits,” said Hobson.

“That’s the first time he’s had his ground this year – at Chepstow the ground had been covered for 10 days and was almost good to soft.

“When he gets in that rhythm he’s a hard horse to pass, his jumping is always great on the whole and Paul gave him a lovely ride.

“If it could just be soft for us, over four-miles-two that would be enough, but obviously anything quicker and it’s not going to be his race. I’ve always said the ground is the key to him.

“He’s got an entry in the Ultima (at Cheltenham), but I think we’ll avoid that and keep him fresh for the Grand National. He’s got a beautiful weight and we know he stays well. It’s not every year you have a Grand National horse.”

Hobson – for whom it was a poignant victory, as his father, Russell, a former trainer, died just two weeks ago – added: “Paul knows him inside out, it just hasn’t been his year up to now, the Sefton was too short and at Chepstow it wasn’t soft enough.

“He has overheated in the past, but he didn’t today. Paul got off as a precaution.”

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William Hill Grand National Trial
£75,000 added, 5yo plus, 3m 4f 97y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Soft, Heavy in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1      Lord Du Mesnil 8 11-9 Richard Hobson Paul O'Brien 8/1
2 ½ Achille 11 10-12 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 11/1
3 7½ The Two Amigos 9 11-4 Nicky Martin James Bowen 13/2
4 2¼ Ramses De Teillee 9 11-12 David Pipe Fergus Gillard 15/2
5 4¾ Enqarde 7 10-6 Dr Richard Newland Charlie Hammond 4/1F
6 24 Potters Legend 11 10-8 Lucy Wadham Jack Quinlan 10/1
PU Notachance 7 11-6 Alan King Tom Cannon 11/2
PU Sojourn 8 11-2 Anthony Honeyball Rex Dingle 5/1
PU Perfect Candidate 14 11-2 Fergal O'Brien Paddy Brennan 20/1

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