Ferdy fancies another Granit shot in Ireland
Trainer Ferdy Murphy was a happy man yesterday after his 10-year-old Granit d’Estruval sprung a 33-1 surprise in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
And he hopes to be back next season for a repeat bid.
Brian Harding tracked the leaders on Granit d’Estruval before edging in front after the fifth-last and holding off the strong challenge of Marcus Du Berlais up the straight.
He hung on by half a length, with Golden Storm two and a half lengths back in third and Native Jack fourth.
Murphy said: “Brian elected to go down the inside and said that he probably got to the front too soon.
“He’s a horse that has had his problems, but he’s good and we’ve had great luck with the horses we’ve brought to Ireland.
“We’ll probably send him back to his owner for the summer and will aim him at this race again next year, as he didn’t really take to the Aintree fences when we ran him there in November.”
He added: “He’s a horse who has to go right-handed, but unfortunately most of the good staying chases for him are run the other way at places like Uttoxeter and Newcastle.
“So this has been the plan for some time, and it’s worked out nicely. Brian gave him an absolute peach of a ride. He was very, very good on him.”
Granit d’Estruval was given a 12-1 quote to follow up in the Scottish version at Ayr on Saturday.
But Murphy warned: “It’s very unlikely he’ll go to Ayr.
“If he travels home all right and is bucking around during the week maybe we could think about it, but I’ve got Luzcadou in there and I think he’ll probably run.”
Cork-born Harding, aged 31, who rode One Man to win the 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase, had five winners on the Flat in Ireland when he was apprenticed to Kevin Prendergast, but this was his first winner over fences.
Arthur Moore was delighted with the efforts of both the runner-up and the fourth.
He said: “I’m thrilled with both of them. It was Marcus Du Berlais’ first run in a handicap and everything went perfectly for him. Danny (Howard) gave him a great ride and he’s finished for the season.”
Joe Crowley, who sent out the third-placed Golden Storm, said: “He’s run a good race. He’s only a small horse and can’t really carry the weight, so he’s better in races like this.”
