Curtis has Grand day at long last
Outsider stuns bookies to score a famous victory
Welsh trainer Rebecca Curtis rescued her nightmare season by stunning the bookies at Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National.
Her 33/ 1 outsider, Joe Farrell, clung on for a thrilling win under pilot Adam Wedge at sun- kissed Ayr.
It was just the ninth victory of a torrid season for Curtis, who was making her first ever trip to Scotland for the £ 215,000 showpiece.
She said: “I was quietly confident and we had nothing to lose.
“It has been an awful season.
“It was amazing to watch and has given me the biggest buzz for a long time.”
Jockey Wedge repelled the late challenge of Ballyoptic, riden by Tom Bellamy, to win the closest ever finish on record in the illustrious history of the race.
The well backed Vintage Clouds and Doing Fine, both 12/ 1, finished third and fourth.
Wedge, 28, said: “I thought we had got chinned to be honest but he has a heart of a lion and stuck his head out.”
Crowds of more than 23,000 poured into the course for the two day festival in perfect conditions.
The shortest winning margin in the history of the Coral Scottish Grand National separated two brave horses after a four mile duel in the sun, but it was Joe Farrell who picked up the £ 122,000 first prize.
Given a peach of a ride from Adam Wedge, he looked to be home and hosed three out as he pulled clear but Ballyoptic, trained by Nigel TwistonDavies and ridden by Tom Bellamy wore him down after the last and a nose was all that was between these two fine steeds.
Given the wretched season Joe Farrell’s trainer Rebecca Curtis has been having, it’s little wonder she was ecstatic at the end.
She said: “It’s been a trying year but he came here fit and well and I thought he had a chance I’m delighted for the owners and for Adam.
“Hopefully my luck has changed and we can kick on.
“I have never set foot in Scotland before let alone had a runner here so my first visit is something very special.
“It’s the biggest race I’ve ever won and I am absolutely delighted.”
Just a couple of years ago Rebecca trained 49 winners but Joe Farrell was only her ninth success of the 20172018 season and in one fell swoop more than double her prize- money for the season.
Ballyoptic will surely go on to grab a big win next season and ironically it was the second successive year that Nigel Twiston- Davies had saddled the runner up although he has trained three winners of this race in the past.
The main supporting race on the card was the QTS Scottish Champion Hurdle and 25- 1 chance Midnight Shadow for trainer Sue Smith and jockey Danny Cook won well here.
While in the £ 100,000 Dawn Homes Championship Handicap Novices’ Chase the Irish took the honours with Crosshue Boy winning for Sean Doyle and young jockey Harley Dunne.
A crowd of 18,000 watched the sun drenched action while more than 5,000 attended Ladies Day when the racing highlight was Dan Skelton’s Value At Risk winning the Listed Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase.