Walsh at the treble
Ruby Walsh took Aintree by storm with a sparkling 681-1 treble in the first three races on Martell Cognac Grand National day with one trainer hailing the jockey as the “best thing to come out of Ireland since Guinness”.
Walsh was out of luck with Shotgun Willy in the Grand National but his day had started well, winning on Risky Reef and Le Roi Miguel, displaying his customary polish on each occasion in the opening heats, but he needed all his strength to force Sacundai’s head in front in the shadow of the post in the Martell Cognac Aintree Hurdle to complete his hat-trick.
“It’s a great start. I just hope it keeps going,” said Walsh.
Smurfit Champion Hurdle winner Rooster Booster looked sure to complete a memorable double when sent to the front approaching the last flight in the two and a half mile Aintree Hurdle but Walsh, standing in for the injured Norman Williamson, would not be denied and conjured a final surge from the Edward O’Grady-trained Sacundai to claim the spoils by a head on going officially described as good.
O’Grady said: “Sacundai always promised to be pretty good and I think that is his ideal trip or even a bit further.
“It would be the Stayers’ Hurdle rather than the Champion Hurdle next year for him.
“He will not go to Punchestown unless it rains until then, the ground is very important. He must have it on the easy side.”
A fall on Friday left Williamson nursing a bruised neck and shoulders and he decided he could not do his rides justice.
O’Grady said “I feel sorry for Norman, it was a very professional decision for him to make, but it is no more than I would have expected of him and I respect him for it.”
Rooster Booster’s jockey Richard Johnson dropped his whip just after the last and trainer Philip Hobbs said: “He’s run a massive race. Richard felt dropping his whip has cost him the race.
“It’s just one of those unfortunate things.”
Istabraq’s jockey, Charlie Swan, having his last ride in public was seven lengths back in third on Like-A-Butterfly.
After taking the opener on Risky Reef, Walsh followed up 35 minutes later when he enjoyed an easy success on Le Roi Miguel in the Martell Maghull Novices’ Chase for Ditcheat trainer Paul Nicholls.
The 9-4 chance put in a flawless round of jumping and leading on the run to the third-last was never in any danger after as he strode impressively clear to take the Grade One contest by 11 lengths from stable companion Vol Solitaire.
Impek, the 6-4 favourite, could never land a blow to the leader after a sluggish start but kept on to finish third a head away.
Le Roi Miguel came down at the third fence in the Arkle Challenge Trophy, won by Nicholls’ Azertyuiop, last time but was clearly none the worse for the experience.
Nicholls said: “He fell at Cheltenham but perhaps that was a blessing in disguise because he’s come here a fresh horse.
“We’re going to have a headache next season keeping Azertyuiop and this horse apart. At home you can’t split them in their work but there is 12 months between them and Le Roi Miguel is hardly five.”
Le Roi Miguel could now head for the Punchestown Festival at the end of the month.
“If he’s fit and well I think we’ll be going to Punchestown for the novice chase,” Nicholls said.
“He is in at Ayr on Friday but I don’t think he’ll be going there now.”
And of the runner-up, he added: “Vol Solitaire wants two and a half miles and he may go to Ayr for the Future Champions Novices’ Chase over that trip.”
Risky Reef had earlier recorded a game victory in the Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle.
Walsh took over on the six-year-old from Timmy Murphy when his original mount Rigmarole was ruled out due to the conditions.
Risky Reef was always travelling strongly and moved up to challenge the leader Altay approaching the last and jumping the final flight in good style, the 20-1 chance ran on resolutely to claim the prize by one and three-quarter lengths for Irish trainer Andrew Lee.
Altay held on to second at 7-1 with Brooklyn’s Gold (16-1) three lengths back in third. Edmo Heights (40-1) was fourth.
Explaining the jockey switch Lee, from Co Cork, said: “I’m a bit sorry for Tim but in the past every jockey who has ridden him has always said they would have done better if they had known him and Ruby has ridden him in Ireland before.
“Ruby is the best thing to come out of Ireland since Guinness.”
Risky Reef was Lee’s first runner in Britain and he added: “I’ve had this race in mind for six months as I thought the course and everything else would suit him.”
Lee is considering running Risky Reef in the Powers Handicap Hurdle Final at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
Swan’s mount Take Flight, the 11-2 favourite, took a tumble at the last but was beaten in fifth at the time.
Jonjo O’Neill took the concluding Martell Champion Standard National Hunt Flat Race with Classic Native to round off a successful meeting for the Jackdaws Castle trainer.
Ron Flavin drove the five-year-old to the head of affairs inside the final furlong after a protracted battle up the straight with the runner-up Be Fair and O’Neill’s charge scored by two and a half lengths.
“He’s a grand horse and he stayed on well,” said O’Neill who was saddling his fourth winner at the prestigious fixture.
“He missed the break and got into a bit of bother early on but they probably went a bit quick and it suited us. But it was a long tussle down the straight.
“He won staying on and that’s what we’ve got him down as – a three-mile chaser.”
Earlier, amateur Harry Fowler enjoyed his first Aintree success when making virtually all the running on the David Pipe-trained Lord Atterbury in the Martell Reserve Novices’ Hunters’ Chase.
Pipe said: “That’s fantastic. All he does his gallop. He had to stretch them and that is what Harry did. He gave him a great ride.
“He looked the winner from a long way out.
“I’m not sure what we’ll do with him now. We’ll see how he is and maybe go to the hunter chase meeting at Cheltenham.”
Fowler added: “He was never off the bridle, apart from having to give him a slap out of the gate. After that he travelled sweetly and I had a job pulling him up.”
“He could be a very nice horse in the making
