RACING NEWS: JIM DREAPER has all but ruled top-weight Notre Pere out of Monday's Powers Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
Winner of the Welsh National at Chepstow earlier in the season, he arguably produced a career-best in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup when beaten only five lengths by Neptune Collonges.
Dreaper had to skip Cheltenham with the eight-year-old as he was not quite 100 per cent, and fast ground looks like it will force him to miss the Easter weekend showpiece.
“I’m afraid it is looking pretty unlikely he’ll run at Fairyhouse, the forecast rain hasn’t come, it is good ground and the worrying thing is that it will be dry through to Monday which I would think will rule him out,” said Dreaper.
“He’s only eight and I would hope the best is yet to come, so for that reason I don’t think we’ll take a chance. It is amazing the number of horses you go through before you come up with a proper horse, so there is no need for us to take a chance with him.”
Aidan O’Brien could have four runners in the 2000 Guineas on May 2nd as he bids to win the colts Classic for the fourth time in five years.
Current ante-post favourite Mastercraftsman, Rip Van Winkle, Westphalia and rank outsider Set Sail are all in the mix for the Newmarket showpiece.
O’Brien, who has five 2000 Guineas wins to his name, reports dual Group One-winner Mastercraftsman to be in good order following a racecourse gallop at the Curragh last month. “We are very happy with him and he was a big, mature two-year-old,” he said.
“I have been happy with [all] their individual work, but it would be hard to say what the pecking order is at the moment – although we might get some kind of an idea in the next couple of weeks.”
Mastercraftsman won his first four starts, including the Phoenix and National Stakes. Rip Van Winkle, who scored on his first two outings before finishing seventh in the Dewhurst, had an injury scare earlier this year – but O’Brien reports him to be fighting fit for the Guineas. Rip Van Winkle is 9 to 1 with the sponsors, while Westphalia is 16 to 1 and Set Sail a mouthwatering 50s.
Vincent O’Brien had a winner on his 92nd birthday as Lastkingofscotland made a successful debut in the opener at Tipperary yesterday.
Trained by his son Charles, the son of Danehill Dancer looked set for a comfortable success when quickening to the front at the furlong pole. However, Castor went in pursuit and by the line was almost alongside his rival.
But after a lengthy study of the photograph, the verdict went to Lastkingofscotland by a short-head. The pair were eight lengths clear of their rivals.
John Smith’s Grand National winner Mon Mome is to parade at Cheltenham’s evening meeting next Friday when he will also have a race named in his honour, the extended three-and-a-half-mile Mon Mome Handicap Chase.
Meanwhile, a family in Britain have celebrated a €22,590 win on this year’s Grand National after receiving a tip from beyond the grave.
The Shea family, from Middlesbrough, collected the money after placing a €278 bet on Mon Mome, as a final promise to racing fan Danny Shea, who died five months ago. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer in October 2007 and the 66-year-old knew he would not live to watch this year’s race, but he was convinced Mon Mome could come home first at Aintree after watching him perform at the Grand National in 2008.
The off-shore rigger left €278 (£250) in a box, making his family promise to put all the money on Mon Mome at the Grand National.
His family arranged a complicated spread-betting system, bringing the 11 members of his family a €22,590 payout.
His wife of 40 years, Pat (63), “couldn’t believe” her husband had managed to pick the winner.
“He was generally pretty useless at picking winners. He didn’t have much of a clue, though he liked a bet. The best we hoped for was a place,” she said.
“I have to say I thought ‘what a waste of money’. But it’s what Danny wanted.”
