Joseph O’Brien supplied his cousin JJ Slevin with big race success as Busselton made most of the running to land Wednesday’s Guinness Kerry National at Listowel.
The 13-2 shot looked to be headed by Hewick on the run to the last only for the gallant topweight to make a bad blunder at the final obstacle and dramatically shoot jockey Jordan Gainford out of the saddle.
Slevin and Busselton, one of a handful of O’Brien runners in the €200,000 feature, rallied to beat Willie Mullins’s 28-1 outsider Recite A Prayer by almost three lengths, with another O’Brien hope, Darasso, in third.
Slevin admitted he wasn’t too disappointed by Hewick’s dramatic exit. But after dominating from the front for so long few could have begrudged Busselton his slice of good fortune.
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It was back-to-back wins in the Harvest Festival feature for O’Brien after Assemble’s success in 2021.
But this latest addition to an ever-burgeoning list of big race success, both on the flat and over jumps, despite cutting numbers in the latter discipline, had a family element.
Slevin’s first ever Grade One ride was a winner on his relative’s Tower Bridge at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival in 2018. A year later they secured another notable victory with Band Of Outlaws at the Cheltenham festival.
The jockey, holder of a journalism degree from Griffith College in Dublin, enjoyed his biggest ever victory in the 2018 Irish Grand National on General Principle for Gordon Elliott.
However, he was clearly delighted with a latest National success on a horse who became the first five-year-old since 1969 to win the traditional festival feature.
“With 10.5 on his back we were quite hopeful. He hadn’t won a big one before but was threatening to do it while he hadn’t been penalised for any big success. With a profile like that, there was always going to be a day for him,” Slevin said.
“He got into a great rhythm and let himself down on the ground which is quite fast.
“With the position I’m in, Joseph is down numbers in terms of his jumps string so it’s hard for me to get big opportunities. So thanks to him and everyone for giving me the opportunity.
“I think Hewick was beginning to lay down a strong challenge. Jordan Gainford and I are neighbours at home so it would have been a good finish but I’m glad to have finally come out of the right side of it,” he added.
Hewick came agonisingly close to another big-race victory but emerged unscathed and was cut to 25-1 by some firms for the ultimate National at Aintree in April.
Prior to that, though, there could be a different National assignment in the US version at Far Hills.
Mullins was out of luck as his 5-1 favourite El Barra unseated Paul Townend at the fifth. It was much worse for Rock Road who got into the race as first reserve but was quickly pulled up with what sadly turned out to be fatal injuries.
Rachael Blackmore finished fifth in the big race on Gabbys Cross but later scored when Life In The Park made a successful debut over fences for Henry de Bromhead.
Carrying the Minella Indo colours of owner Barry Maloney, Life In The Park always looked in control to score as an 11-8 favourite.
“These colours have seen a lot of success and hopeful this lad will get into the winner’s enclosure plenty,” said Blackmore who remembered the late Jack de Bromhead, 13-year-old son of the trainer.
“It’s not been an easy road for anyone down in Henry’s and we’re all still thinking of him,” she added.
