Flat racing on the turf is back and the first Classic Trials in the UK took place over the weekend. How ever let’s recap on the Scottish Grand National Meeting first.
The Scottish Grand National had twenty-three runners but only eight finishers. Unfortunately, two horses paid the ultimate price namely MacDermott and The Kniphand. RIP
The winner was the Willie Mullins trained Captain Cody given a peach of a ride by Harry Cobden who oozed confidence all the way round. Mullins also trained the second too with Klarc Kent, another one – two in a National. The favourite for the race, Olympic Man who finished seventh under Patrick Mullins was also a Closutton inmate.
The Scottish champion Hurdle which is a Grade 2 Limited Handicap was won by local hero Cracking Rhapsody who stayed on bravely to just hold Kabral Du Mathan and Ooh Betty by a neck and a head. The winner ran a good seventh in the County Hurdle last time and won his second Morebattle Hurdle before that. He must be one of Ewan Whillans favourite inmates and the Major thinks he’s a star!
At Newbury we saw the first Classic trials with the running of the Fred Darling for the Fillies and the Greenham for the colts. Lady’s first and the Fred Darling provided a huge shock with not just the winner but the placed horses too. Victory went to the Hollie Doyle ridden Duty First for trainer Archie Watson. She stayed on strongly over this seven-furlong trip to beat Hey Boo over three lengths. The winner is now a top priced 14/1 for the 1000 Guineas and will stay the mile at Newmarket no bother. The colts trial, the Greenham saw another good winner in the form of Jonquil for Andrew Balding and jockey Oisin Murphy. The Juddmonte owned winner led over one furlong out and won readily from Brian Meehan’s Rahabar under Sean Levey. Jonquil is best priced 20/1 for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. More classic clues next week at the Craven Meeting next week.
In other Group and Listed races over the weekend the John Porter Group 3 at Newbury went to Divina Grace for Andrew Balding and David Probert. Over in Ireland the Group 3 Park Express Stakes went to One Look trained by Paddy Twomey and ridden by Billy Lee. Later on the card the Group 3 Alleged Stakes saw Aidan O’Brien’s Jan Brueghel lose his unbeaten record to Galen fit from three outings this year at Meydan. The Joseph O’Brien trained winner made all and was found in the market returning 6/1 from double those odds in early exchanges.