Intense Raffles and Slevin are dream ticket at Irish National
Intense Raffles continued his Fairyhouse love affair to hold off the fast-finishing Any Second Now in a thrilling renewal of the Boylesports Irish Grand National yesterday.
Twelve years on from winning the race with Lion Na Bearnai, Thomas Gibney struck gold again courtesy of the Simon Munir and Isaac Souedeowned French import, who has excelled at Fairyhouse in two starts since his transfer from the continent.
Those victories came in the hands of the currently-injured Daryl Jacob, and Jacob' s misfortune wasJJSlevin' s gain as he stepped in to also register his second victory in the Easter Monday showpiece aboard the gutsy grey, who showed his star quality with a brilliant round of jumping.
Always travelling powerfully in the hands of Slevin as he tracked the pace set by Frontal Assault, not even a mistake at four out could halt Intense Raffles' momentum as the sixyear-old eased effortlessly to the head of proceedings.
Keen to hold on as long as possible, Slevin waited until after two out to edge the 13-2 scorer's nose in front and after jumping the last with a narrow advantage he plugged on gamely to the line as Ted Walsh's veteran and Willie Mullins' Minella Cocooner were bearing down with every stride. “He's a fantastic horse and it's easy to train good horses like that,” said Gibney.
“Last February was the first time I spoke to them [Munir and Souede] and fair play to the boys. It's very easy for the big owners to go to the big yards, so for them to pick out a small stable like us and give us a horse, kudos to them. That takes a bit of doing and it's great to repay them.
“When he won here the last time we were just getting to know him and it's just fallen into place. I could make out like I'm a genius but I'm not really, it's just the way it worked out it worked out well.
“I had huge confidence in the horse. People were asking me if I was nervous and hand on my heart I wasn't because we had huge confidence in him. He's the best I've had.
“He's just a good horse, when you ride a good horse you just get a feeling that this horse is so much better than the others. That's the feeling I get on him nearly every day I ride him.
“He's only six so who knows where he'll go. It was a dream to win it in 2012, it was so different to today as there was so much expectation today and pressure.”
He added: “I want to say thanks to the staff, it's a small outfit with my family, my daughters, my wife and a small local team. They are brilliant and it's great for them, they need it as much as I need it.
“I'm getting hugs and kisses, it feels like a wedding! I'm a Meath man and to win it twice is surreal.”
Slevin was thrilled with the triumph. “It's a massive race to win and that was a good performance. It's unbelievable really.
“I thought they didn't go quick and I was comfortable where I was, we were just pottering away. I gave the fourthlast a right belt and I thought that'd knock the stuffing out of him. He stuck out his head and galloped all the way to the line.”
Also at Fairyhouse yesterday, Bottler'secret graduated to Grade Two company in style with victory in the O'driscoll's Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle.
British raider Givemefive raced prominently but began to feel the pressure turning for home,withbottler'secrettravelling sweetly for Keith Donoghue and eventually coming home three and three-quarter lengths clear of market leader Miss Manzor.
I'm getting hugs and kisses, it feels like a wedding!