Can Rambler make it a double for Lucinda?
It was momentous enough for Lucinda Russell to capture one Grand National Trophy. But to do it again next April, would just be showing off.
It’s already four-and-a-half years since One For Arthur picked up every remaining runner in the field, barring fallers, in the final half-mile.
Such was the momentum built up by rider Derek Fox, that he won going away, to be fourand-a-half lengths clear of Irishtrained, JP McManus-owned, Cause Of Causes.
In truth, the race got to the bottom of Arthur and he was never quite the racer that he was in those exhilarating days for Belinda McClung and Deborah Thomson.
The Two Golf Widows purchased the horse to while away the hours, while their husbands trekked Scotland’s many golf courses, for a bargain £60,000
Now another syndicate, The Ramblers, are treading that same glorious path with their eight year old Corach Rambler, a son of Jeremy, a dual-purpose flat-and-jumps sire.
And Irishman Fox is still a fixture at Russell’s Milnathort yard, now the most-northerly outpost of British racing, hoping that lightning will indeed strike twice.
Renowned for his penchant of holding up horses and coming through with a long, sweeping, late finishing run – a spectacular, if fraught-with-danger strategy.
And anyone who was at Newbury two weeks ago, or watching on the box, could not fail to feel the overwhelming rush of deja vu, for Arthur’s magnificent Aintree triumph.
For there was Corach Rambler, held up for most of the journey of the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, like Aintree, a Grade 1 track, with Grade 1 prizes, for Grade 1 animals.
Over an inadequate threeand-a-quarter miles, the Rambler passed rivals up the long searching Newbury straight, before pecking on landing at the third last, to end his chance.
However iPads, notebooks and laptops were urgently opened to record, what might be with another mile to travel, after finishing a creditable fourth, beaten nine lengths.
Sadly the bookmakers were also on the ball and Corach Rambler is quoted as second favourite at 20/1, behind Irishtrained stayer Noble Yeats, a winner at Liverpool last Saturday.
Whether the Emmet Mullinstrained winner of the National last year, will try for the double seems unlikely with the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Blue Riband of National Hunt racing, just three weeks before.
His victory at flat, easy track Aintree in the Many Clouds Chase eight days ago, was nothing short of astonishing, after being scrubbed along three out and still with loads to do with two to jump, he suddenly flew home over three miles, one furlong.
Which begs the question What will Noble Yeats do with anorher furlong-and-a-half to travel and Cheltenham’s stiff, uphill finish to bring his seemingly bottomless pit of energy into play? Win, perhaps?
He is currently 12/1 for Cheltenham.
For the record. Corach Rambler has a verdict over Noble Yeats – a 19-and-three-quarterlengths defeat of his rival, getting 7lb, in the Ultima Handicap Chase at this year’s Festival.
Intrigue indeed!