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ROUND-UP OF FINAL TWO RACES ON GRAND NATIONAL DAY

Press Release 13th April 2024 Aintree

5.00pm My Pension Expert Maghull Novices’ Chase 2m

Winner: Found A Fifty 11-8 Fav

Winning Trainer: Gordon Elliott

“I've been delighted with all of the horses we've run. On another day we could have had four or five winners, but they are running great winners. The Bective Stud are massive supporters.

“You are always nervous with these horses when you come back from Cheltenham, but we haven't done much too intensive. People think they are machines but they aren't machines. Jack was great and the horse is awesome, but it's kind of a guessing game.”

Winning Jockey: Jack Kennedy

“It was very messy at the start and I collided in the air at the first with Charlie Deutsch's horse. We probably didn't go as hard as I thought we were going to go and I was always travelling, then down the back we really pressed on. I was happy enough to let them go and I probably ended up there a bit too soon to be honest, but he was very good.

"He hasn't missed a beat all season. He's a great horse. A tough horse. He's versatile. He stays two and a half but a strong run two is fine for him.  

Tom Bellamy, rider of runner-up Master Chewy (10-1) said: "It was a massive run. I'm heartbroken obviously but we are delighted to have put the Arkle run behind us, I don't think we'd have beaten Gaelic Warrior in a million years, but I think we might have been third or fourth. He fell two out so ended up not having a hard race there, whereas some of those others did, but he had to back it up. He's run a cracker. The owners wanted to see if they had a Grade 1 horse and I think we can safely say they have.

"His jumping was brilliant.  e learned from his fall a bit and he's learning all the time. We were getting there.

“With myself and Jack, it was a case of who was going to go first. We were both just sitting there and daring each other to see who would go first, although we probably weren't going as well as it looked. I probably got a better jump at the last and the first half of the run-in I thought I had him, but he just battled back. It's heartbreaking, but I'm delighted for the horse."

5.35pm Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Bumper (Grade 2) 2m 1f

Fergal O’Brien, trainer of the first Horaces Pearl (14-1) and runner-up Tripoli Flyer (13-2), said: “They are two very good owners. Ismail (El Magdoub) has been with me since day one, but this is lovely for Matt and Sally (Burford), who are big Gloucester rugby fans.

"I thought with the ground being softer this lad (Horaces Pearl) would go well as he won his two bumpers on soft ground. His Wincanton bumpers were good, and the way he did it from the back.

"We were a bit inbetween what to do, but I said to Sally (Randell) let’s leave Connor (Brace) to ride him for luck and see where we go.

"I was actually screaming Paddy (Brennan, on Tripoli Flyer) home and I said to my daughter Daisy 'oh no we have been done, what has beaten us', and she said your other one!

“They are two different types of horses, and fair play to Sally, she does lots of the training with Horaces Pearl, and she never over does him. Tripoli is a great galloper.

“Horaces Pearl is six, and the other lad is five, and he can probably step up to two and a half miles, whereas I think Tripoli Flyer will be fine over two miles.They have both schooled brilliantly.

"The plan was always to come here once Tripoli Flyer won at Lingfield. To be fair to Horaces Pearl he was entered at Cheltenham, but he wasn’t quite right so we had to wait for here. That is the beauty of having good owners. You can tell them as it is and make another plan.

“I said to Paddy today coming back in if that one would have won would have that been it and he said definitely not! He will keep going for as long as he wants to keep going.

“It is Paddy’s birthday today and my daughter Daisy’s, who is 17. We’ve had a quiet meeting, but it is great to end it like that.”

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