Andy Win toughs out Grand National Hurdle win
The Australian Grand National Steeplechase will come under consideration for Andy Win (NZ) (Almanzor) after his tough win in the A$250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown on Sunday.
Andy Win was sent out a $3 second favourite in the field of five, with the Ciaron Maher-trained Ongatiti heading the market at $1.90, while his stablemate, Ardakan, went off as a $5.50 chance.
Ardakan, under Martin Kelly, made the play for much of the race, and while he seemed to be travelling sweetly in the lead a long way from home, Andy Win appeared to be labouring.
With 600 metres to go, Ardakan saw off the challenge of Ongatiti, as Andy Win rallied to pose a serious threat to the 2022 G2 Italian Derby hero. The pair settled down for a tooth-and-nail scrap, and it was Andy Win that proved too good, scoring by 1.25 lengths, with Embezzler in third.
“After jumping two flights at the start of the race I thought we were in trouble, he wasn’t travelling, he wasn’t travelling at all,” Trainer Shane Jackson admitted.
“I do believe if the track was softer, just a slower tempo, he would have been more comfortable.”
The A$350,000 Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) is run at the all-jumps program at Ballarat on August 16 and Jackson said providing Andy Win pulls up well from Sunday's success he would take his place.
Andy Win qualified to race over the bigger jumps at Coleraine on July 20 which Jackson said may have contributed to the jumper being tentative early in the race.
"We'll let the horse tell us, but that was the plan coming here," Jackson of competing at Ballarat.
"We ran today with the option of the Grand National Steeplechase at the end of the season.
"That's why he had a trial over them and that's why he probably jumped a few like fences early on in the race, he jumped them a bit careful.
"I'm glad we've qualified him over fences because, the slower tempo in a steeplechase might be right up his alley."
Jackson praised Ryan for his effort in getting Andy Win home.
"I don't think there's any jockey, apart from Tom Ryan that would have won on him today," Jackson said.
"He looked gone up the back and he had to keep him up to the job.
"Maybe the ground wasn't quite soft enough for him and there was a lot of speed, but he toughed it out.
"What a thrill."
