SLEVIN WINS THE RAFFLE
Jockey takes spare ride to grab Irish Grand National glory
SUPER SUB JJ Slevin survived a late scare to win the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on well-fancied Intense Raffles.
Standing in for sidelined jockey Daryl Jacob, the jockey held on tight as his grey mount jumped awkwardly exiting Fairyhouse’s back straight.
After mastering long-time leader Frontal Assault, Slevin’s 13-2 chance then had to fight off final challenger Any Second Now.
Twice placed in the Grand National at Aintree, the 12-year-old charged home to push Tom Gibney’s trainee all the way in Ireland’s richest jumps race, with Minella Cocooner close-up in third.
Jacob, in the saddle for two preparatory wins on Intense Raffles, owned by his employers Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, was injured in a Newbury fall on March 22.
“Poor Daryl is sitting at home with a broken collarbone, it’s his ride and I was just lucky to get the call,” said Slevin, also on-board 2018 winner General Principle.
“It’s a massive performance for a six-year-old. He gave the fourth-last a right belt and I thought that’d knock the stuffing out of him.
“He was getting a bit lonely in front but galloped all the way to the line.”
In murky conditions, half of the 20-runner field completed the 3m 5f distance, with 4-1 favourite Nick Rockett only seventh.
Gibney’s grey, the only six-year-old to line up, was giving his handler a second success after Lion Na Bearnai’s 2012 exploits.
■ CONSTITUTION HILL returned home yesterday after a “few traumatic days” for Nicky Henderson’s star hurdler.
The seven-time Grade One winner is recovering from a suspected bout of colic and will not run again this season.
In a statement, Henderson said yesterday: “Hopefully this is all behind him now but the reality is he is going to take some time to recover and put some weight back on again.
“Therefore our much anticipated match with State Man will have to wait until next season.”