National potential is clearly on show

RACING: The Druids Nephew confirmed it is set to be a major player in next month’s Crabbies Grand National after providing young trainer Neil Mulholland with a first Festival winner.

Mulholland’s horse was a comfortable winner of the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase under Barry Geraghty, and vindicated the trainer’s decision to move to stables in Bath.

During his riding career, he predominantly rode for the then West Witton trainer Ferdy Murphy, who said his young protégé was always likely to be a successful trainer because he was such an excellent judge of a horse’s fitness.

It also proved to be a day to remember for owner Gary Elisia, who heads the four-strong syndicate The Stonehenge Druids – this was his stag party.

“There have been no hiding places for this horse because every race is so competitive – we’re delighted it’s all come good,” said an ecstatic Mulholland, who saddles The Young Master in today’s RSA Chase.

“This is our World Cup and this is where we want to be – it’s the big stage and we’re on it today. It’s a fantastic feeling and will take a while to sink in.

“We ran him over hurdles last time to give him a little freshen up – I told Barry he has solid handicap form and we know he stays.

“Barry’s a great big-race jockey and he proved that again today.

“We’ve been at our current yard for two-and-a-half years and we had 48 winners last year and 53 this time. We put in a new spa and flat gallop in the last year-and-a-half and you can see you are getting that little bit more out of the horses.”