The Best of McFly at Aintree - Friday 14th June

News

12.04.12 - THE GRAND NATIONAL

John Smith's Grand National meeting, Aintree - Liverpool Day

LIVERPOOL DAY, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

Sixth race - Betfred Manifesto Novices’ Chase

Quotes

MENORAH COMES GOOD AND COULD BE OUT AGAIN SOON

After a frustrating downturn in fortunes Menorah came good at Aintree today and won his first Grade One novices’ chase.

Ridden by Richard Johnson for owners Graham and Diana Whateley, Menorah beat the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Cristal Bonus and Al Ferof by seven lengths and five lengths. A top hurdler, Menorah had finished third to Sprinter Sacre in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham, which was no disgrace, but today’s performance was far more impressive.

Trainer Philip Hobbs said: “At long last - it’s taken all season for him to get it together but he was better today.

“Apart from two fences in the back straight where he left his hind legs behind his jumping was very good.

“The only race for him at Punchestown is over two miles, and we feel that two and a half miles and going a bit steadier is better for him. The only other option is the two-and-a-half-mile novices’ chase at Ayr next week. He’s in very good nick and he’s actually quite tough once we get him going, so that is a possible.

“It’s great that he’s won a Grade 1 chase.”

Sixth race - The Betfred Manifesto Novices’ Chase - placed quotes

NICHOLLS LOOKS FORWARD TO NEXT SEASON FOR PLACED RUNNERS

With two winners on the board already today, Paul Nicholls had the favourite, Al Ferof, for the Betfred Manifesto Chase but has to settle for second and third, with Cristal Bonus finishing five lengths in front of his better-fancied stable-mate when runner-up to Menorah.

“Al Ferof ran a bit flat. It’s the end of a long season for him,” said Nicholls. “Cristal Bonus jumped a little bit green early on and he’d like it a bit softer and will probably want three miles next year.

“Al Ferof will probably start in something like the Haldon Gold Cup next season and work his way up. I just felt he was a little bit flat today. It’s been a long old season. He’s a job to work out. He jumped well but once he’d jumped three he wasn’t quite tanking like he usually does.

“They’ll both be great horses for next year and we’ll have some fun with them.”

JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL MEETING, AINTREE

RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE

LIVERPOOL DAY, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

SEVENTH RACE - SILVER CROSS HANDICAP HURDLE - WINNER QUOTES

NO TRIBULATION FOR JEFFERSON’S CAPE CRUSADER

Two days before he saddles fancied contender According To Pete in the John Smith’s Grand National, Malcolm Jefferson advertised the good form of his Norton string as Cape Tribulation followed up a victory at the Cheltenham Festival with Aintree success in the meeting’s first day finale, the Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle.

Cape Tribulation, who carried top-weight of 11st 12lb in the Grade 3 contest over an extended three miles, produced a tremendous effort to give 20lb and a three-quarter length beating to American Spin, only overtaking the trailblazing bottomweight in the last 100 yards under Denis O’Regan.

It was a first winner at Aintree for 65-year-old Jefferson. “It’s been a long wait,” he said, “I’ve had a licence for more than 30 years.”

Cape Tribulation was raised 8lb for his success in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham but had been in such good form since that Jefferson was happy for him to take his chance today. “He’s looked just great at home and came here in some fettle,” he said. “He’s a bit of a lazy devil but he’d been flying up the gallops and the lad that rides him at home kept asking for a bit more and a bit more, and I wasn’t entirely sure it was the right thing to do. But it seems it was.”

The fast pace set by American Spin and Buena Vista had Cape Tribulation at full stretch early in the race. “This track is sharp enough for him,” said O’Regan, “and first time round he was never really going. But his jumping was terrific and by gaining ground in the air he was able to keep tabs on them. Then as the race went on he started to find reserves. He’s got some heart to battle home like he did.”

Seventh race - Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle

Placed quotes

AMERICAN ALMOST PUTS RIVALS IN A SPIN

Few horses will work harder in defeat at this year’s John Smith’s Grand National meeting than American Spin.

The 50/1 outsider for this handicap hurdle cut out much of the running with Buena Vista, saw off that rival and then held all but eventual winner Cape Tribulation in a driving finish. American Spin went down by three-quarters of a length, with another six lengths back to third-placed Trustan Times.

Sussex trainer Luke Dace was delighted with American Spin’s effort under Jamie Moore, and said: “That’s the way the horse has always had to be ridden and that’s the first time Jamie has got on and done it that way.

“I’ve always thought the world of the horse and he just keeps battling. It’s a pity we didn’t get a drop of rain today because Jamie thinks that if we had we might have won it. We need a test of stamina and probably a set of fences - he’s got the size, it’s whether he’s got the scope.

“At Cheltenham last time [when pulled up in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle] we went very wide and you just can’t ride around the Festival like that.

“He’s an out-and-out stayer and he just doesn’t stop. I would say he’ll be a better horse on softer ground so that will probably be it for now.”

Tim Easterby, trainer of Trustan Times, said: “He ran a cracking race. He was outpaced for the first mile, but once he crept into it he stayed on and ran a super race. He’s a smashing horse.”

Sam Twiston-Davies, who rode fourth-placed Ringaroses, was suspended for two days (April 26 and 27) for using his whip above the permitted level.

JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL MEETING, AINTREE

RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE

LIVERPOOL DAY, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

APALACHI NO LONGSHOT, SAYS O’REGAN

Black Apalachi’s record round Aintree will serve him well in the John Smith’s Grand National, says his rider Denis O’Regan. The Irishman will be teaming up with the Dessie Hughes-trained 13-year-old for the fourth time over the National fences, efforts which include victory in the Becher Chase four years ago and second place to Don’t Push it in the big race in 2010.

On his only run since his last appearance at Aintree, Black Apalachi beat all bar Prince de Beauchene in Ireland’s premier National trial at Fairyhouse. “It’s a huge plus for a horse to have been over these fences, and to have performed so well over them,” said O’Regan, “and he’s going to be a huge ride for me. He’s seen as the best of Dessie’s four runners and believe me, he’s no 40/1 shot.”

JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL MEETING

RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE

LIVERPOOL DAY, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

RECORD CROWD WITNESSES BIG BUCK’S MAKE HISTORY

The appearance of record-breaker Big Buck’s in the opening race on John Smith’s Liverpool Day helped Aintree to set a new record too, with a crowd of 30,340, the first time the 30,000-barrier had been breached on the Thursday of the meeting.

Julian Thick, Managing Director of Aintree racecourse, said: “We’re delighted that so many people were here to witness a great day’s racing.

“We’re sold out for Friday and Saturday so we look set to set record crowd figures for the whole meeting.”

OVERNIGHT WATERING

Clerk of the Course Andrew Tulloch revealed he would be putting four to six millimetres of water on the Mildmay and Hurdle courses overnight, and would also be watering selected parts of the Grand National Course.

He said: “We’ll be putting up to six millimetres on parts of the Grand National course, particularly around the 13th and 14th fences, but also probably in some other places.”

TOTE TURNOVER

The Tote on-course cash turnover at Aintree for the first day of the John Smith’s Grand National meeting was £848,585, up 3.2 per cent on the figure for the equivalent day last year of £822,072.

JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL MEETING, AINTREE

RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE

LIVERPOOL DAY, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012

BIBA LEADING JOCKEY COMPETITION STANDINGS AT THE END

OF DAY ONE

Jockey       1st 2nd 3rd

Ruby Walsh       2 - 1

Richard Johnson      1 - 1

Tom Doyle       1 - -

Mr Richard Harding      1 - -

Denis O’Regan      1 - -

Robert Thornton      1 - -

Dougie Costello      - 1 1

Noel Fehily       - 1 -

Daryl Jacob       - 1 -

A P McCoy       - 1 -

Jamie Moore      - 1 -

Sam Twiston-Davies     - 1 -

Mr Sam Waley-Cohen     - 1 -

Mr Josh Halley      - - 1

Andrew Lynch      - - 1

Jason Maguire      - - 1

Nick Scholfield      - - 1

LEADING TRAINERS AT THE END OF DAY ONE

Jockey       1st 2nd 3rd

Paul Nicholls      2 1 1

Philip Hobbs       1 - 1

Donald McCain      1 - 1

Malcolm Jefferson      1 - -

Alan King       1 - -

Oliver McKiernan IRE     1 - -

Luke Dace       - 1 -

Tom George       - 1 -

Nicky Henderson      - 1 -

John Quinn       - 1 -

Nigel Twiston-Davies     - 1 -

Robert Waley-Cohen     - 1 -

Keiran Burke      - - 1

Rebecca Curtis      - - 1

Henry De Bromhead IRE     - - 1

Tim Easterby      - - 1

JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL MEETING 2012 - WINNERS

Liverpool Day, Thursday, April 12

2.00pm BGC PARTNERS LIVERPOOL HURDLE (Grade 1) 3m 110y - BIG BUCK'S (FR) (The Stewart Family) Paul Nicholls 9-11-07 Ruby Walsh 2/9 Fav

2.30pm MATALAN ANNIVERSARY 4-Y-O JUVENILE HURDLE (Grade 1) 2m 110y - GRUMETI (McNiell Family) Alan King 4-11-00 Robert Thornton 11/4 Fav

3.05pm BETFRED BOWL CHASE (Grade 1) 3m 1f - FOLLOW THE PLAN (IRE) (Redgap Partnership) Oliver McKiernan IRE 9-11-07 Tom Doyle 50/1

3.40pm JOHN SMITH'S FOX HUNTERS' CHASE (NATIONAL COURSE) 2m 5f - CLOUDY LANE (Trevor Hemmings) Donald McCain 12-12-00 Mr Richard Harding 4/1 Jt Fav

4.15pm matalan.co.uk RED RUM HANDICAP CHASE (Grade 3) 2m - EDGARDO SOL (FR) (Axom XXXII) Paul Nicholls 5-11-00 Ruby Walsh 9/2 Fav

4.50pm BETFRED MANIFESTO NOVICES' CHASE (Grade 1) 2m 4f - MENORAH (IRE) (Diana Whateley) Philip Hobbs 7-11-04 Richard Johnson 3/1

5.25pm SILVER CROSS HANDICAP HURDLE (Grade 3) 3m 110y - CAPE TRIBULATION (J David Abell) Malcolm Jefferson 8-11-12 Denis O'Regan 14/1