A great day for the Irish
©Tod Marks
In a display of utter dominance, the Irish contingent swept Saturday’s entire six-race Far Hills card. Trainer Gordon Elliott went five for five in the jump races and his main jockey, Jack Kennedy, was four for four. Kennedy would have made it a perfect five for five, but a rider change in the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle gave Elliott’s nineteen-year-old Irish riding sensation Danny Gilligan a chance to celebrate in the winner’s circle. And in the finale, the $150,000 John Forbes flat stakes, it was another European invader, Fleetfoot, and another visiting Irish rider, Danny Mullins, who got to take a bow, though the NSA’s own Barry Foley trained that winner.
The biggest prize of the day, the Grade 1 $250,000 Grand National was a tour de force for the invaders as Elliott’s Zanahiyr squeaked past another classy all-Irish connected star, Gavin Cromwell’s Ballysax Hank, with Keith Donoghue aboard.
The thrilling renewal of U.S. steeplechasing’s marquee stakes race was all but overshadowed by Elliott’s unprecedented run of the table.
With a course rated good — and to the obvious liking of many of the European competitors — Paul Byrne’s Ballysax Hank was made the $1.50-1 favorite with Bective Stud’s Zanahiyr next at $2.30-1. Last year’s winner and Eclipse Award winner, Snap Decision, was the third choice at 4-1.
Despite the low odds, Zanahiyr’s adventure over the 2 5/8 mile Moorland Farms course was anything but smooth sailing. The European racing papers used words like “detached” to explain the horse’s last-place positioning and less-than-perfect jumping for much of the contest. And Elliott himself said he thought Zanahiyr’s race “was over” after nearly falling at the second fence.
The race began with Stone Farm and Upland Flats Racing’s Swore (Stephen Mulqueen) on top and Leipers Fork Steeplechase’s Vae Patron (Jamie Bargary) in close pursuit, and they would duke it out for much of the race. The duo remained on top, with Irv Naylor’s Howyabud (Harry Beswick), at 29-1 the longest shot in the field of eight, in third. Bruton Street-US’ Snap Decision (Graham Watters) was always in touch with the field, alternating between fourth and fifth for most of the trip.
Approaching the backside the final time, Swore began to fade. Howyabud hooked Vae Patron, as Ballysax Hank and Snap Decision moved closer to contention. Ballysax Hank was moving fastest of all nearing the final turn, and he zoomed past Vae Patron and Howyabud, then faced a new challenge from a resurgent Zanahiyr, who unleashed a bold move on the far outside.
The pair dueled to the last fence, with Zanahiyr actually poking his head in front, but Ballysax Hank took the jump better and was in front as the field angled left toward the long uphill run to the stretch. Howyabud, on the inside, tried valiantly to keep up and Snap Decision made up some ground, but neither was a match for the two European invaders, who sprinted about six lengths clear of the others. Ballysax Hank maintained his advantage until the final couple of strides, when Zanahiyr caught him, winning by a neck.
Elliott’s reaction after the race: “Unbelievable.”
In other action…
Chortal scores in NSA debut
Erdenheim Farm Thoroughbreds, a newcomer to the NSA, scored in the opener, the $75,000 Harry Harris four-year-old stakes, with European shipper Chortal.
The son of Golden Horn, ridden by Jack Kennedy, took the lead in the 2 1/8-mile contest after the first half mile or so and never relinquished it, despite being challenged by another newcomer, Shannon Hill Farm’s Naturally Nimble, ridden by Bernie Dalton.
Naturally Nimble drew alongside Chortal at the final fence, but was unable to catch the winner, who drew clear by 3 1/2 lengths through the stretch. It was another 4 1/2 lengths back to Matthew T. Groff’s Starlifter (Graham Watters).
We’re Back Again comes home a winner in $70,000 McDynamo maiden stakes
Maiden jumpers had the opportunity to race for a significant purse along with bragging rights as a stakes winner in the second at Moorland Farm, and when the running was over, it was another victory for the Irish connections of Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.
This time the winner was Green Valley Construction’s We’re Back Again, who was coming off of a sixth and second in maiden competition at Roscommon.
The four-year-old son of Marcel rated in fourth in the field of nine, drew even with Leipers Fork Steeplechase’s front-running leader Grey Pharoh (Jamie Bargary) at the final hurdle, and drew clear in mid-stretch to score by 5 1/2 lengths. Grey Pharoh, who also was making only his third start, had maintained the lead just past the mile mark, and was clearly second best, 13 lengths ahead of the show horse, 31-1 Lewins Gully (Luke Carberry).
Emily Love is Queen for the Day
The win streak reached three for trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy when Emily Love, the odds-on favorite, powered her way to victory in the $100,000 Peapack filly & mare stakes.
But it wasn’t a cake walk. Sent off at $.70-1 in the short field of five, James J. Reilly’s six-year-old Irish-bred led as soon as starter Stirling Young dropped the flag, though she never spurted off to a significant advantage.
Turning for home, Dark Horse Racing and Keri Brion’s Anoint (Stephen Mulqueen), a recent convert to jump racing who broke her maiden at Colonial Downs over the summer, closed three wide to take second over the final fence, and dug in gamely to finish just a length behind Emily Love. Paul and Molly Willis’ Anador was 6 1/4 lengths behind in third at 11-1.
Coutach proves much the best in $150,000 Foxbrook Champion novice stakes
Winning for the third time in five career outings, Paul Byrne’s British-bred Coutach took aim at runaway leader One O Two Racing’s Batman Girac (Eric Poretz), heading toward the final fence, was in command clearing the jump, and drew off handily through the stretch by 4 1/4 lengths.
With Danny Gilligan riding for Gordon Elliott, Coutach, a four-year-old, was sent off at $1.70-1 favoritism, and lived up to his billing.
Riverdee Stable’s Cyber Ninja (Graham Watters), was the $3.60-1 second choice coming off of an impressive jump racing debut at Shawan Downs in September, and the son of Arrogate ran well, closing from fifth to second, 4 1/4 lengths clear of Batman Girac.
Fleetfoot lives up to his name in $150,000 John Forbes flat stakes
Making his first appearance out of the UK following 18 starts, Paul and Molly Willis’ Fleetfoot needed no time to acclimate to U.S. soil.
Sitting in third just behind the pacesetters, Del Rio Racing’s Passing Game (Conor Tierney) and Gill Johnston’s Zarak the Brave (Evan Dwan), the Barry Foley-trainee took aim at the leaders on the final turn and accelerated past Passing Game heading uphill toward the stretch, drawing off by 9 lengths through the lane. Watters Edge’ Worthington (Jamie Bargary) rallied in the 2-mile turf event for third. Danny Mullins, was aboard the winner.