Irish Racing Fairyhouse report: Timbera overcame every obstacle to finally hit the big time with a thrilling victory in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National yesterday.
An unlucky faller in the 2002 National and narrowly beaten at the Cheltenham festival before that, the nine-year-old narrowly beat the 20 to 1 outsider Knock Knock in a titanic finish.
"It was his day," said trainer Dessie Hughes and there did seem to be a touch of destiny about Timbera winning Ireland's most prestigious chase and overcoming more than just the 23 fences.
On Friday afternoon there wasn't a jockey booked as Hughes's stable rider Kieran Kelly elected to ride Rathbawn Prince instead.
On Sunday there was a doubt about him even running due to the ground. Then when some unforecast rain did hit Fairyhouse to turn the going "good" for the big race, things still stubbornly refused to go smoothly.
"He can be keen and I wanted him settled mid-division but instead he broke too well and was right up there," said Hughes.
Fortunately the jockey situation had been solved with a man not used to getting in a flap when plans don't work out in big races.
Jim Culloty might not have had the double Gold Cup winner Best Mate under him but he made Timbera feel no inferiority complex.
"When I saw him in the parade ring he looked a million dollars and in the race he broke so well I was swinging out of him," said the Killarney-born rider who hadn't even ridden in the Irish National before.
"But he was enjoying himself and when I wanted a lead going to the last fence I got it," Culloty added.
That lead came from Knock Knock which was surprising considering the blunder he made at the 14th fence.
Jockey Mark Grant did wonders to stay with the horse but trainer David Wachman admitted: "I put my glasses down after that. I thought he had no chance."
He ended up with more of a chance on the run-in than both Winning Dream who weakened and Davids Lad who ran on brilliantly under topweight. But Culloty had kept enough up his sleeve to win out by a head.
"I've been very lucky. The call came only a couple of days ago and thankfully Henrietta (Knight) granted permission for me to come over.
"It's great to win. The lads based here are always coming over and winning the big races in England, so it's good to have it the other way for a change," Culloty said.
The one plus point going into the race for Timbera was that he had won at Fairyhouse three times previously. However, his next big date could be the most famous National of all at Aintree.
"He jumped so well it looks one to look at," said Hughes who never won the race during his own illustrious career as a rider.
"I'd been afraid of the ground but the drop of rain was just in time and took the sting out of it."
The rain, as well as the close-on 6mms of water that was put on the course overnight, eventually had the jockeys describing the going on the soft side of good.
That contributed to some surprise results, none more than when Culloty doubled up to the tune of 251 to 1 on the 20 to 1 outsider April Allegro in the handicap hurdle.
It meant the jackpot was not won and €33,113 is added to today's meeting.
Another 20 to 1 outsider to win was the Noel Meade second string Michael Mor who got the conditions hurdle in the stewards' room after Ruby Walsh's mount Moore's Law was thrown out of first.
Moore's Law crossed Michael Mor after the last and it was a costly move for Walsh who will miss out on Heineken Gold Cup day at Punchestown due to a one-day ban for careless riding.
Michael Mor was the centrepiece of a Noel Meade treble completed by Dashing Home in the first and Whatatouch in the novice handicap chase.
Meade had to settle for third in the Grade Two Novice Hurdle as Glenhaven Nugget edged out the favourite Mutakarrim in a thriller.
The winner's trainer Edward O'Grady also had ground on his mind afterwards, but in this case it was surface at Liverpool two weeks ago.
"It was like treacle. They went fast that day and it was still 15 seconds off standard. We might go to Punchestown now," he said.
Yesterday's 17,142 strong crowd bet €555,599 with the Tote compared to €562,463 last year.
The bookmaker turnover was €1,996,758 with €337,515 bet on the Grand National.
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