Grand National
Steeplechase marks the end of the main jumps racing season with only
Irish Jumps Challenge on Aug 30 to go (where a team of Irish jockeys
take on the locals in the 39th renewal of the rivalry).
In race 1 it was the promising Miss Wynette trained by Tony McEvoy
winning from Enduro with Chondra third.
The Grand National Steeplechase was next with established performers
Kirribilli Gold (winner of the Australian Hurdle in 2012), Cat's Fun
(winner of the Perth Cup before moving to a career over the jumps where
he has had 26 Starts for 5 wins and 11 placings including a win in the
2013 Brierly Steeplechase and being runner up in the same race this
year), King Triton (who won a number of races over the Hurdles at
Morphettville in the past before switching to steeplechasing and winning
at Oakbank earlier this year) plus Redevelop and Red Eye Special who
have only just moved up to the bigger fences. Groenenboom led King
Triton over the first jump followed by Cat's Fun then Redevelop.
Into the straight on the first occasion it was Groenenboom ahead of Red
Eye Special then King Triton followed by Cat's Fun outside Redevelop
then Knocka Norris with the mare Kirribilli Gold next and Maldives
outside Big Jam at the rear. Little changed in the order as the
race was run at an even tempo until the the field approached the fourth
last where Groenenboom led from Red Eye Special and King Triton
who were starting their runs as Knocka Norris make ground around the
field from Redevelop and Cat's Fun. AS they approached the home
turn King Triton was in front with Knocka Norris and Red Eye Special
putting in their claims from Groenenboom who started to tire alongside
Cat's Fun, Redevelop and Kirribilli Gold. As the front runners put
in magnificent leaps at the second last there was nothing between King
Triton and Red Eye Special with Kirribilli Gold running on along the
fence with Redevelop out wider then Knocka Norris who was starting to
tire then Cat's Fun. King Triton started to draw ahead on the flat
then outjumped Red Eye Special at the last as Redevelop moved to third
ahead of Kirribilli Gold. IN the run to the line Red Eye Special
tried very hard to run down the leader but King Triton had too much in
reserve to win with Redevelop a closing third, Kirribilli Gold fourth
and Cat's Fun fifth. Cat's Fun's retirement was announced after
the race with his full record of 74 starts 12 wins and 17 placings with
over a million dollars in prizemoney.
Albonetti by Ustinov took out the third race while the promising Light
It Up defeated Sandhill Warrior in the next. As the rain started
to fall Little Akie was too good in the next with Deiheros successful in
the 3yo event. St Gabriel made it a double for the Ryan Balfour
stable in the seventh race while the final race went to White Roe.
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