RACING GRAND NATIONAL REPORT:THE SYMMETRY of the first Aintree Grand National winner being called Lottery has never seemed more appropriate as, 170 years later, the 100 to 1 shot Mon Mome sprang a stunning upset in Saturday's renewal of the world's most famous steeplechase.
It has always been the lottery element that has made the four-and-a-half-mile marathon over those 30 famous fences unique, and the hitherto unheralded Mon Mome is guaranteed his place in racing history on the back of it.
It has to be said little in the French-bred nine-year-old’s career had entitled him to any less than three-figure odds. Tenth to Comply Or Die the year before, only one victory in three-and- a-half seasons meant he was safely stored in the “making up the numbers” file by the form experts whose various National theories seemed so convincing beforehand.
Recent history did, after all, indicate that having 11st of weight or over was a virtual death-knell to most National runners, while those playing the odds noted it was practically free money to back the first five in the betting and trust to class.
Saturday’s result doesn’t automatically mean there is a flaw in such logic, but that famous National magic has never been logic-driven. And try telling those millions of once-a-year punters in 2010 that long-shots can’t come in.
Mon Mome is actually the fifth 100 to 1 shot to grind out a National success, but the first since Foinavon’s famously unlikely victory in 1967. Twenty years previously the Irish-trained Caughoo did the same, but the yarn of how his jockey supposedly took a short-cut in thick fog is still current. The first of them, Tipperary Tim in 1928, was actually the only horse not to fall in his race.
The wonder of Mon Mome’s performance, though, is that there was nothing freakish about it, say in the manner of Red Marauder beating only three others home during 2001’s mudbath. In fact, rarely have so many horses appeared to hold chances on the run to the second-last, and they included all the big guns.
Tony McCoy, on the favourite Butler’s Cabin, might have been in trouble, but Ruby Walsh and My Will were tussling for the lead with Comply Or Die, while the former Hennessy-winner State Of Play was right in the mix as well.
But all of them were left for dead from the last as Liam Treadwell kicked Mon Mome a dozen lengths clear. Excuses appeared to be as thin on the ground as losing dockets were plentiful.
The 23-year-old jockey was having his first ride in the race and Mon Mome was the second string of trainer Venetia Williams’ two runners. Her first, Stan, at a mere 50 to 1, ridden by Irishman Aidan Coleman, fell at the seventh.
After an unprecedented run of Irish success in the race, this was very much a home victory for Herefordshire-based Williams and owner Vida Bingham, a former England bridge international.
“Coming into the race Mon Mome was not in the best form of his life but this proves anything can happen in the National,” said Williams, only the second woman after Jenny Pitman to train a Grand National winner.
“The only thing I said to Liam was to remember that any kind of light in front of you is gold dust in the National so try not to be close behind anything,” she added. “He carried it out to the letter.”
Treadwell could scarcely believe his luck first time of asking, especially since McCoy, enduring a 14th losing National ride, was one of the first to congratulate him.
“Crossing the Melling Road I got caught in a pocket, but it’s probably the best thing that could have happened because I could have got a rush of blood and gone too soon,” he laughed. “I’ve never won a big race before but this is a different ball game.”
As always there is a “what if” element to the National, and in Irish eyes there will always be conjecture as to what would have happened if both Black Apalachi and the 2007 winner Silver Birch hadn’t exited at Bechers second time. The pair had dominated from the front almost from the start, and Black Apalachi, in particular, looked to be reaffirming his passion for jumping Aintree’s unique challenge.
“He was loving the ground and jumping just like he did in the Becher,” said a rueful Dessie Hughes, while Silver Birch’s rider Robbie Power reported: “He hadn’t put a foot wrong until he got in a fraction too close.”
At least they live to fight another day, but sadly that isn’t the case with the 2008 Irish National winner Hear The Echo, who collapsed and died on the run-in.
Six jockeys, including four Irish-based riders – Davy Russell, Paul Townend, Robbie Power and Paddy Flood – received four-day bans after a couple of false starts delayed the start for five minutes.
But it was a much happier story for Hear The Echo’s rider, Davy Russell, in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle, as he brought the Charles Byrnes-trained Solwhit with a sustained challenge to beat his Irish rival Fiveforthree by half a length.
Solwhit is as low as 10 to 1 for next year’s Champion Hurdle but will next aim for Punchestown’s Champion Hurdle this month.
“I wouldn’t rule anything out with this horse. I think he is very good,” said Byrnes.
As Mon Mome proved yet again, ruling anything out at Aintree is very presumptuous.
