The Whisltng Shrew - Grand National Aintree Festival Review

Rule the World jumps round to Grand National glory

Rule the World - Winner for Mouse

Morris with The Last Samuri and Vics Canvas behind

The National winner always has a great story behind it but there’ll unlikely be one as emotional for this. I said in the preview Mouse Morris would have to be a genius to get Rule the World to win and it turns out he was. The trainer, whose son tragically died in Argentina last year from carbon monoxide poisoning, doubled up on his Irish National win with Rogue Angel last month to land the biggest prize of all. Add this to Don Cossack’s Gold Cup and it’s a year to remember for Gigginstown whose owner Michael O’Leary will likely retire the winner after what was remarkably his first win over fences from a horse who had recovered from two pelvic injuries earlier in his career. A sensational winner and one to really remember, especially for 19 year old jockey David Mullins (Willie Mullins’ nephew) who will be a top jockey in the future.

A slog in the mud, perhaps too much today for the heavyweights

including Many Clouds, with the winner stalking

Rule The World was helped hugely, as several were, by the consistent rainfall which turned the ground to the heavy side of soft before the off a fact emphasised by the fact that only 3 of the 16 finishers were carrying more than 11 stone and two of them were 14^th and 16^th. As soon as the skys opened overnight it was bad news for Holywell who wasn’t travelling from the start and only made it to the second fence – perhaps off a better stride he would’ve gone further? Four out we had the two favourites out to the front, The Last Samuri (who stayed well to second and may have won on better ground) and Many Clouds, who had too much out of his favour with the weight and ground. He tracked a good line around but probably found himself in front a little too soon.

Just behind those two at four out was Morning Assembly who gave Davy Russell a lovely spin

The principles to the front - joint favourites battling for the 2nd

circuit

around the outside but in the end just didn’t see it home finishing 8^th. Also bang there was Shrewdies 100/1 shot Vics Canvas, whose jockey somehow survived being catapulted out the saddle at first Beechers to guide his 13 year old mount to be right there at the last and run on into an absolutely brilliant 3^rd place. Goonyella is one who would have liked the ground but came from a little too far back running on well into 5^th. Gilgamboa and Ucello Conti emphasised the Irish dominance in the soft ground by taking 4^th and 6^th.

The runners jump Beechers brook

All this meant that Nicholl’s and Mullins only had 2 finishers between them and they were both Nicholls’ in Unioniste, who got round well in 10^th and Just a Par (15^th). Silviniaco Conti, as expected, hated the hustle and bustle and was pulled up before the first circuit. Saint Are travelled well for the first circuit but didn’t like the ground either. There was only one hairy looking incident at The Chair where Mullins pair Sir Des Champs and On His Own both came to grief but both got up quickly and returned none the worse, which as always is great news and a credit to the new Aintree national course.

On the rest of the card, Yorkhill made hard work of winning the novice hurdle when pulling all the way around but eventually his class gave him a 2 ¼ length win over Le Prezien. Douvan and Thistlecrack showed no so much worry in their victories – It will be exciting if we get to see the two of them go head to head next year! Maggio who was 4^th reserve for the national emphasised the quality of this years race when scoring at 50/1, with Ubak (16/1) franking the Coral Cup form in the opener. Ivan Grozny looked ridiculously handicapped in the last to give David Mullins another victory following up on his national

Shrew’s Shrewdies Aintree Festival Review

Arzal 11/2 (1^st)

Cue Card 5/4 (1^st)

Annie Power 4/7 (1^st)

Starchitect 10/1 (3^rd)

God’s Own 14/1 (1^st)

Ballyoptic 9/1 (1^st)

Barcadys 5/1 (1^st)

Yorkhill (1^st), Douvan (1^st), Thistlecrack (1^st) Treble - Evs

Goonyella 22/1 (5^th)

The Last Samuri 11/1 (2^nd)

Vics Canvas 100/1 (3^rd)

Automated 15/2 (2^nd)

We'll be back in 3 weeks to cross the Irish Sea for Punchestown where we may see the decider between Don Cossack and Cue Card, before previewing the beginning to the Flat season in the 1000&2000 Guineas.