Becauseicouldntsee saddles up for Aintree

WINNING an Aintree Grand National is the dream of every jump racing owner, trainer and jockey and Spancilhill-based Noel Glynn is hoping he can turn that dream into a reality with Becauseicouldntsee at Aintree on Saturday.
A faller at the second fence 12 months ago, Becauseicouldntsee returns to the Liverpool track in a bid to make amends and his colourful owner/trainer is happy that his horse is in with a decent shout.
“I’m looking forward to the race and, thank God, everything has gone well with his preparation,” said Glynn.
“He ran an absolute blinder when second to Sunnyhillboy in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham and he’s improved again from that if anything. We feel we have him in the best form we can and we won’t be offering any excuses if he’s beaten,” continued the Ennis native.
“I’ve booked Davy Condon to ride both Becauseicouldntsee and Gonebeyondrecall, who runs in the Topham Trophy on Friday afternoon. He knows Becauseicouldntsee, having ridden him many times before and that’s a big plus. Gonebeyondrecall was fourth in the Topham last year and while he hasn’t run for a while, he did a good bit of work on the Curragh last week and I’m hopeful for him as well.”
Having gone agonisingly close to victory when second at Cheltenham on two occasions, Glynn feels things may just be about to turn for his National-bound stable star.
“You need a lot of luck in a race like the National but maybe our horse might just get the break that he deserves on this occasion. He’s been very consistent but with four and a half miles, 30 fences and 39 other runners, you do need the rub of the green and I’m hoping it’s our turn on this occasion.”
Of course, there is further link to the big race in that Jason Titley, who rode 40/1 winner Royal Athlete to victory for Jenny Pitman in the 1995 National, is assistant trainer to Glynn at his impressive Durra House stables.
Titley too is looking forward to Saturday’s outing. He said, “Becauseicouldntsee is in great order. It is all important that he gets over the hustle and bustle of the first five or six fences and gets into a nice rhythm. If he does, he’ll run one hell of a race.
“His Cheltenham runs would suggest he’s the ideal National type and he’ll be staying on when a lot of them have cried enough. I understand they have had a bit of rain over there recently but he won’t mind that and the goodish ground will be ideal for him,” concluded the former jockey.

Fairyhouse success for Archie Meade

FAIRYHOUSE’S big three-day Irish Grand National Easter meeting kicked off last Sunday, where Quin trainer Malachy Hassett was on the mark with 20/1 outsider  Archie Meade (paid €53-90 on the tote) in the €50,000 INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle.
Twenty-two runners went to the post in the valuable three-miler with Miltown Malbay jockey Danny Howard aboard Archie Meade, who races in the silks of Spanish Point owner Ted O’Sullivan.
Howard, who worked for top trainer Arthur Moore for 10 years, produced Archie Meade to challenge for the lead at the second-last flight and the pair fought off all comers when running on doggedly from there to beat Jessica Harrington’s Jetson by a length and three-quarters.
The winner, who won his point-to-point at Kinsale last June and scored over hurdles at Thurles back in December, certainly picked a good day to put his best foot forward, as he picked up a healthy €32,000 winners’ cheque for his troubles.
“The good ground today was the big factor for this horse,” said Howard, whose biggest win in the saddle came aboard Martin Pipe’s Puntal in the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown back in 2004.
“This horse won his point-to-point by 20 lengths and he’s much better on nice ground. His last run when he was fifth behind Paddy Pub (who went on to win the Leinster National at Naas) was encouraging and I was hopeful he’d run well today. I imagine Archie Meade will go for something at the upcoming Punchestown Festival next,” concluded a delighted Howard.
Things may well have been ever better for the Howard/Hassett combination half an hour later when their 25/1 shot Lough Donnell Mist was just touched off when run out of it close to home by Tom Cooper’s Eightybarackstreet in the two-mile Novice Hurdle.
Clear into the home straight, this daughter of Presenting, who won a mares’ maiden at Quakerstown in 2010 for her Miltown Malbay owner Michael Callinan, only gave best in the shadows of the post when beaten by a length and a quarter by the Barry Geragthy-ridden, Tom Copper-trained winner.
Meanwhile, Ronnie O’Leary tasted success when his Fascino Rustico landed a gamble in the concluding bumper at Carlise on Saturday.
O’Leary likes to plunder UK prizes from his base at Ogonnelloe in East Clare and this raid paid dividends as the Milan-sired newcomer, who hardened from 7/2 into 11/8 favourite, eased clear under Galway-born jockey Alain ‘Squeaky’ Cawley inside the final furlong to beat Lucinda Russell’s Kris Cross by three and three-quarter lengths.

National joy for Lion Na Bearnai

GREAT scenes of jubilation greeted the success of 33/1 outsider Lion Na Bearnai in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.
Trained quite close to the course by former amateur jockey Tom Gibney, Lion Na Bearnai is just one of five horses Gibney has in work at present and he struck a blow for the smaller trainers when coming good under a great ride from Andrew Thornton.
Successful at Navan on his previous outing, Lion Na Bearnai looked poised to challenge when in third place entering the home straight. Having hit the front before two out, the winner had to withstand a spirited challenge from Edward O’Grady’s well-fancied Out Now, who was running on well for jockey Paddy Mangan.
Thornton, however, was able to conjure up that bit more from Lion Na Bearnai, who asserted his authority on the run-in when pulling away to beat Out Now by four and a half lengths. Jonjo O’Neill’s English raider Alfie Sherrin ran a big race for third, with Paddy Pub staying on best of the rest back in fourth.
For Gibney, who trains the winner for the Lock Syndicate, this was a special day.
“I only have a handful of horses and this is just brilliant. He surprised us the way he won the last day at Navan and he got 27Ibs of hike in the ratings for that, which got him into today’s race. Andrew gave him a brilliant ride and it’s a day I will never, ever forget,” stated the Kells handler.
There was drama at the conclusion of the point-to-point bumper race when 12/1 chance Rogue Angel, owned by race sponsor Michael O’Leary, passed the post a short-head in front of Willie Mullins’ Ballnaslow but was demoted following a stewards’ enquiry.
Both Rogue Angel and Ballnaslow had been ridden to their point-to-point successes by Derek O’Connor but it was Mullins’ charge who got the spoils on this occasion, when the stewards deemed that the Roger Quinlan-ridden Rogue Angel had interfered with Patrick Mullins’ mount when the pair came close together inside the final, thus reversing the placings of the first two home.