Aintree Report: Dunbrody Millar's storming success over the big Aintree fences in yesterday's Topham was the perfect Grand National warm-up for trainer Peter Bowen, who runs both McKelvey and Ballycassidy in today's big race.
The bad news for the visitors, however, was that success for Bowen, who trains in Pembrokeshire on the west coast of Wales, was the nearest thing to a winner trained in Ireland.
Day Two was another blank for Irish-trained horses and even those whose focus is purely financial couldn't find much to cheer about in Dunbrody Millar who was a massive 17lb "wrong" at the weights, a fact reflected in his 25 to 1 SP.
Formerly trained near New Ross by Michael Cullen, for whom he won only once in 23 starts, Dunbrody Millar looked a transformed animal over the big fences and he powered to a six-length victory over Theatre Knight with Latimer's Place in third. Charlie Swan's Ground Ball did best of the Irish-trained in fourth.
Bowen wasn't even present, preferring instead to drive his National horses to Liverpool, but jockey Jamie Moore was full of praise for the winner, and also the ground on the National track. "It's lovely. You could put your snooker balls on it and play a game," said the 22-year-old brother of the champion flat jockey, Ryan.
Five horses exited at the third fence, the Chair, and one of them Lord Rodney was killed in the melee. Lost Time also fell at the Chair and his jockey Alan Crowe was taken to hospital for X-rays to an injured shoulder.
Healy's Pub was another Irish fourth, behind Tony McCoy's Reveillez in the handicap chase, a result that completed a double for McCoy who had earlier landed the Grade Two novices hurdle on board the 2006 Lincoln winner Blythe Knight.
Another jockey on the double from Northern Ireland was Tony Dobbin who guided Monet's Garden to a second Grade One victory of the season in the Melling Chase, winning by three and a half lengths from Taranis. Last year's winner Hi Cloy managed only fifth.
"I love this horse. He's disappointed once or twice but there have always been reasons. He's very good. He's got more brains than me and he's some leaper," enthused Dobbin, who later added the mares bumper to his tally on board the favourite Turbo Linn.
Those who reckoned the Grade One Sefton Hurdle was a match between the old rivals Massini's Maguire and Wichita Lineman must have been pleased with themselves when they duelled for much of the last circuit. However, they cut each other's throats to such an extent that when Massini's Maguire cried enough in the straight, the odds-on favourite had nothing left to repel the 20 to 1 outsider Chief Dan George.
Mick Fitzgerald guided the winner through to score a shock success and the veteran jockey reported: "I was surprised to see them race so far out. But there wasn't a lot I could do. My fellow's a little bit of a thinker but luckily when he saw the ones in front stop, he really picked up."
Massini's Maguire's trainer Philip Hobbs admitted: "Taking each other on didn't help us stay the trip and it doesn't look like it helped Wichita Lineman either."
The top novice Denman had is SunAlliance form boosted when Aces Four bolted up in the Grade Two chase, sauntering home by eight lengths under Graham Lee to boost the confidence of trainer Ferdy Murphy who has the National favourite Joe's Edge.
"We will go to Punchestown (Ellier Chase) with this horse. I'd say Paul Nicholls is very pleased with that," said Murphy.
Lee, a National winner on Amberleigh House three years ago, will try for a second victory on Joes Edge and declared: "I'm not surprised he is favourite. He stays, he's won a Scottish National and he took to the fences last year. Granted luck, I think he can do it."
