Emmet Mullins’ Irish raider was a 50-1 outsider in April when he gave amateur Sam Waley-Cohen a fairy tale sendoff from the saddle and also became the first seven-year-old since Bogskar in 1940 in Win the most famous obstacle course in the world.
However, this time he was much more respected in the market and the 3-1 second favorite was backed shortly before kick-off.
Content to stalk the Ahoy Senor for most of the ride, it was in the penultimate when Noble Yeats was torched by his new driver Sean Bowen and the duo ended the race in a matter of paces while recording a winning over the admirable Dashel Drasher. , who was up to date alongside the Lucinda Russell favorite in the hands of Rex Dingle.
Bowen said: “He runs a bit lazy and never does too much, but as we all know his jumps are absolutely brilliant. Even though he was running lazy, he would blow up a fence and be back in the bridle.”
“I spoke to Sam before I set him up at Wexford and he said ‘if you have cover, when you take him out he’ll really go’ and he did exactly that today.”
“He accelerated smartly from the back of two and did very well, overtaking some good horses.”
Such was the manner of victory, Betfair saw Noble Yeats 10-1 from 25-1 for the Gold Cup in March and 6-1 from 25-1 for the King George at Kempton later this month. Coral went 12-1 for a second National and 16-1 for the Gold Cup.
Waley-Cohen was on hand and said: “That was brilliant and I can’t say you don’t miss it when you see it like that. It was great to see it run so well for Sean and I’m excited.” for everyone.
“King George isn’t too far away, so I think we’ll take him home and think it over and figure it out from there.
“I don’t think we were expecting that today, he’s done very well against some really good horses. He’s looking like the real deal and we’ll have to figure out where to go next.”
“It would be great (to go for the King George) and dad (Robert Waley-Cohen) has always been up for it, but the main thing is to see if the horse is up for it first.”
Mullins was delighted to be back in the Aintree winners’ compound, but would not be pressed about future targets for his star stable.
“I managed to find the same spot in the grandstand to see him. It was a bit emptier this time, but it’s very special and the horse definitely knew where he was,” said the trainer.
“I’d say they galloped well and probably softened up to each other at the front. We were there then with plenty of energy to go through and pick up the pieces I guess.”
“We had high hopes. It was a lovely race at Wexford to get us back on track and that’s another rung on the ladder today. It seems to progress all the time.”
Asked if a tilt on the King George could be a possibility, he added: “Everything is a possibility, we won’t rule anything out here or in here today.”
“We’ll take him home and see how he takes it. He can be a bit nervous in the preliminaries and also afterwards, but during the race he seems to know what’s going on and shuts down and does the business.”
“We have the option (of the Gold Cup) and we will keep both options (Gold Cup and Grand National) open for as long as we can.
“It’s opened the Gold Cup door a bit more after that. Whether we can get through that is another thing, but it’s a great possibility.”
Source: news.google.com