Hedgehunter wins Grand Nat
2005-04-09 19:18
Liverpool - Favourite Hedgehunter, trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh, made up for his final fence mishap last year with victory in the Grand National here on Saturday.
Hedgehunter, destined to be placed in 2004 before his fall, comfortably confirmed his position as 7-1 market leader to beat Royal Auclair (40-1) by 14 lengths, with 66-1 shot Simply Gifted a head back in third.
Hedgehunter was supplying Mullins with his first success in the world's most famous steeplechase but Walsh's second after Papillon, trained by his father Ted, four years ago.
Walsh said: "He frightened the heart out of me! I decided not to make my move until the elbow. Absolutely brilliant."
The nine-year-old winner, who has been trained with only this one race in mind all year, is owned by one of England's richest men, Trevor Hemmings, the leisure entrepreneur who owns the Blackpool Tower.
"I'm a lucky man, it's an incredible achievement," said Hemmings.
A maximum 40 runners set out in search of the 158th edition of the four and a half mile marathon, with the early pace being set by Glenelly Gale.
Tony McCoy, seeking his first win at his 10th attempt, took control at The Chair, the biggest of all the National fences, on the second circuit.
But the champion jockey's National dream ended cruelly at Bechers' Brook when, well clear of his pursuers, his path was suddenly blocked by loose horses leaving Clan Royal stranded on the take off side.
Walsh, who was travelling sweetly on Hedgehunter in close contention on the inside, seized his chance and went to the front with a group of 10 horses on his tale.
Bogey jump
By the last, Hedgehunter had built up a three length cushion and with that bogey jump safely negotiated he fairly sprinted up the gruelling Liverpool run-in to return to a rapturous welcome from the record crowd.
The pre-race build-up was dominated by Carrie Ford's bid to become the first woman jockey ever to land the National on Forest Gunner and while outright success eluded her, the mother-of-one still had a race to remember finishing fifth.
That equalled the previous highest finish for a woman achieved by Rosemary Henderson on Fiddlers Pike in 1994.
Ford said: "Forest Gunner was right there, it's all down to his huge courage that he kept in touch of them going to the last. After that he was up and down on the spot."
While Walsh now has two Nationals to his name from five appearances McCoy is still trying to crack the Aintree riddle, and his frustration was plain for all to see as he sat a disconsolate figure in the weighing room, his head in his hands.
The result means all of England's top jump races this season have been won by horses trained in Ireland.
In all 21 finished with Shamawan the last one home.