No ordinary Joe repays Curtis
Rebecca Curtis could have been forgiven for deciding not to make her first visit north of the border from her Welsh stable after her worst season since she got established as a jumps trainer.
But the Newport handler’s faith in a horse she paid just £10,000 for was rewarded with a thrilling victory in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.
Joe Farrell was a cheap buy because he had broken down on both his forelegs, but Curtis was convinced he was worth the risk and retained a quarter share in him and it proved a great move as the 33-1 shot ridden by Adam Wedge repelled the late challenge of Ballyoptic (9-1) to claim the £122,000 prize after a photo finish.
Curtis, who was winning just her ninth race of the campaign, said: “We’ve had a difficult season. I thought it was a big ask. He’s still a novice for a big race like that but I knew he’d stay all day. He wanted a bit better ground, so that was brilliant. It’s my first time in Scotland.
“He idled at the end in front. If he’d have got beaten on the line, I’d have been gutted. Watching it, I thought he had held on – I hoped he had.
“I own a quarter of him. I bought him quite cheaply out of John Ferguson’s sale. He had broken down on both his front legs. I took a chance with him and thankfully he’s won a big race. It’s all paid off.”
With five fences to jump in the four-mile test, the wellfancied Vintage Clouds moved to the head of affairs, however Wedge was in close attendance on Joe Farrell and eased into second at the next fence before striking for home with three to jump.
Joe Farrell made a slight mistake at the last and with Vintage Clouds fading, Ballyoptic emerged as the nearest challenger. But although hard-pressed on the run-in, Joe Farrell, who was receiving a stone from the runnerup, held on gamely at the line. Wedge said: “He stuck his head out like an absolute lion for me after the last. I could feel Tom Bellamy [on Ballyoptic] getting to me all the way, but he’s tried his heart out. The mistake at the last fence didn’t stop him. I was going to take a pull, but he’s taken it on. Fair play to him, he knew better than me.”
Vintage Clouds came home in third with Doing Fine fourth, while Paul Nicholls’ Vicente, who had been chasing a hat-trick of wins in the race, was fifth.
The 7-1 favourite Fagan – trained by Gordon Elliott, who had been bidding for a Grand National treble after winning last weekend’s Aintree showpiece and the Irish National earlier this month – never challenged and was pulled up.
Meanwhile, champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa can add another winner to his spring tally today by guiding Starboy to success in the concluding one-mile handicap on the Pontefract card.
George Scott’s three-yearold won nicely at Brighton last autumn and must have given his team optimism upon his return to the fray at Newcastle in March. Starboy flew home for third place in a one-mile handicap on what was his first spin for five months.
That should set him up a treat for this assignment, while it almost goes without saying that the appointment of De Sousa is a clear statement of intent.
0 Jockey Adam Wedge and trainer Rebecca Curtis, right, celebrate