Ireland's Aintree Renaissance

If anyone had said to the jubilant connections of L’Escargot in the immediate aftermath of the 1975 Grand National that it would be 24 years before the winners cheque for the world’s greatest steeplechase would head across the Irish Sea, they would have fallen about laughing.

For that success, which thwarted, albeit only short term, Red Rum’s quest for an historic National treble came at a time when Irish steeplechasers were enjoying a Golden spell.
Weeks earlier Ten Up, in the ‘Arkle’ colours, had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the fifth time in six years the Blue Riband had gone to the Irish- a sequence begun by L’Escargot himself in 1970.

But the wheel of fortune was to turn. In those 24 years only three Irish trained winners won the Gold Cup (Davy Lad, Dawn Run and Imperial Call).

The Irish hoodoo in the Grand National had upset a nation where the horse has affection second to none and for whom a gamble on the great Aintree Spectacular is one of the great ‘must do’ things.

They had come close, with Greasepaint and Yer Man filling the places behind Corbiere in 1983 and the unlucky Greasepaint also having to give second best behind Hello Dandy a year later.

But as the Grand Nationals went by, it became a real embarrassment for the Irish that the Aintree winner’s enclosure had almost become a no-go zone.

In 1999 the omens weren’t great. Just two horses trained in Ireland were in the 32-strong field. One of them was Bobbyjo, who had won the 1998 Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, and carrying the colours of London publican Robert Burke was trained by Tommy Carberry - the same man who had been on board when L’Escargot had triumphed.

In the saddle this time was another Carberry - Tommy’s son Paul. Another member of the clan, Paul’s brother, Philip had ridden Bobbyjo in his Aintree warm up, a Handicap Hurdle at Down Royal.

It was a day everything went to plan, Bobbyjo landed the last National of the Millennium, beating the brave challenger from the North, Blue Charm, with Call it a Day third for the second year running.

Four of the first six home that April day were running from out of the handicap, but it was a race that was to mark a sea of change.

A year later Bobbyjo came back for more, with Irish hopes of back to back success high.

But it was to be another father and son combination that was to grab the headlines. Papillon, owned by Betty Moran, trained by Ted Walsh in County Kildare and ridden by his son Ruby were to emerge as the heroes.

It was a vintage spectacle of a race. A number of contenders had chances coming back across the Melling Road with two to jump and in the end Papillon (second to Bobbyjo in that 1998 Irish National), came home ahead of Mely Moss and Nicky Dee with Bobbyjo trailing in 11th.

The Irish bandwagon was on a roll. In desperate conditions a year later Papillon finished fourth to Red Marauder, and they fared little better in 2002, but all that was to change the following April.

A syndicate including the colourful Mike Futter owned Monty’s Pass, who had finished second in the 2002 Topham Trophy and in September of that year had illustrated he was a stayer when landing the Kerry National at Listowel.

He was trained in darkest County Cork by the little known Jimmy Mangan, with top Irish jockey Barry Geraghty on board. Futter had oozed confidence beforehand and the bookmakers had got the message, his price tumbled.

Four horses went clear of the field at Canal Turn the second time, and Geraghty drove Monty to a famous win ahead of Supreme Glory and Amberleigh House. In County Cork it was reported the pay out queues stretched for miles.

Ten Irish trained horses lined up for the 2004 Grand National. The trickle of horseboxes from across the Irish Sea arriving on Merseyside with big race hopefuls was becoming an annual Armada. Monty’s Pass was amongst them, but the handicapper had his say. Amberleigh House, who was third a year earlier, delivered an unforgettable triumph for Ginger McCain with Monty’s Pass in fourth, and a heroic run from another raider, Hedgehunter, who made much of the running until he fell at the last- a place assured.

Hedgehunter was to have his own appointment with destiny a year later; fulfilling a life time ambition of owner Trevor Hemmings by carrying his famous quartered colours to Grand National Glory. Trained by Willie Mullins, he was to storm to victory from Royal Auclair and Simply Gifted.

It was Ireland’s fifth Grand National victory in seven years, and the heavily backed favourite’s success cost the bookies millions.

The handicapper took no chances when Hedgehunter came back a year later for a third installment. He finished second, beaten after challenge by Numbersixvalverde, a horse named by owner Bernard Carroll after his holiday home in Portugal. He had previously won the Irish National and was steered to Aintree glory by Irish jockey Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden on his first National ride, and was the first horse to be trained for the race by County Kildare based Martin Brassil.

The Irish were to make it seven out of nine in 2007 with one of the most remarkable wins of all. Silver Birch had been trained by English Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, but with persistent injuries having seemingly curtailed a once promising career, Silver Birch was despatched to Doncaster Sales where he caught the eye of young Irishman, Brian Walsh, who purchased the gelding for 20,000 guineas and sent him to trainer Gordon Elliott’s small yard in Trim, County Meath. Robbie Power, whose father had represented Ireland in three day eventing, was to take the ride.
His price of 33-1 represented his chance, the experts say, after he had warmed up by running over Cheltenham’s Cross Country fences. But thanks to one of the most remarkable of training performances Silver Birch just held off the late flying challenge of McKelvey by an ever diminishing margin.

The Irish may have missed out on the big prize in 2008, but did supply the second- King Johns Castle; the first horse trained by one of Ireland’s most respected trainers Arthur Moore to complete the course, third placed Snowy Morning and fourth placed Slim Pickings.

For Ireland a golden decade, for Aintree the certainty that for every year a strong Irish challenge will be sent for the world’s greatest steeplechase, and for their ever enthusiastic Punters, the memory of the post L’Escargot years of drought now safely confined to history.