Kai sky-high after O’Leary victory
PUNCHING the air with delight, he could have been celebrating one of his father’s spectacular goals.
But Kai Rooney, eldest son of Everton footballer, was enjoying backing a winner in another sport yesterday – at Grand National Day at Aintree.
The wager had, no doubt, been made by his mother Coleen as Kai, 8, is ten years too young to place a bet.
The world’s toughest steeplechase was won by another eight-year-old – Michael O’Leary’s Tiger Roll. The Ryanair chief’s gee-gee was already a three-time winner at Cheltenham, and was a joint-favourite.
But just when he looked to have victory sewn up, the Willie Mullinstrained Pleasant Company, who had jumped boldly, came with a late rattle to almost join him on the line. However, after a brief wait the judge confirmed Tiger Roll the winner.
O’Leary, who has described Tiger Roll as ‘a little rat of a thing’, said yesterday: ‘I think I’ve adopted him now as my fifth child’. Five of the top six: first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth were all trained on this island.