Tag Archive for: The Big Dog

Peter Fahey confident The Big Dog has big National chance

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If a trainer’s confidence was a guide to winning the Randox Grand National, The Big Dog would be already be home and hosed.

It is never easy to be overly-optimistic in any horse race, especially so in the four-and-a-quarter-mile Aintree showpiece. More so if that horse fell on his last start.

Though The Big Dog tipped up – for the first time in his chasing career – in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February, Peter Fahey is adamant the 10-year-old, who won the Munster National and the Troytown Chase earlier this term, has all the credentials to land the £1million race.

“He travelled over great and is in great form. We are really looking forward to it,” said the Kildare handler.

“If you drew a line under his last run, his form is rock solid.

“The ground is beautiful, everything seems good and well for him. He is in great form and working well at home. You get a bit of luck in running, and hopefully he runs a big race for everyone.

“It is a race that every trainer in the world wants to win and to have a horse going to it with a great chance is brilliant.

“Please God he’ll win and it would be brilliant for everyone involved.

“I think he can win – I do. I can’t see any reason why not. I think he has a great profile. You take away his fall and he has a proper profile for it.”

Any Second Now will carry top weight of 11st 12lb, having finished an unlucky third in the race in 2021 and second to Noble Yeats last year.

In contrast to Fahey, trainer Ted Walsh feels the 11-year-old’s best chance may have passed, however.

He said: “He’s as good as he can be and I think he’s as good as he was last year. That probably won’t be good enough but anymore than that I can’t do.

Ted Walsh (right) feels Any Second Now's best chance may have gone
Ted Walsh (right) feels Any Second Now’s best chance may have gone (David Davies/PA)

“Whatever he has he has, but he is rated 8lb higher than last year and he couldn’t win it last year, so it is very hard to see him winning now. But he’s in good nick, he goes there with a good chance and I’m glad to have him.

“There’s been no hiccups all season and everything is good, no problems.

“It is great to be a part of it. I never thought I would ever have a horse that was saddlecloth number one going to the start of the Grand National anyway.

“Everyone in National Hunt racing dreams about a Gold Cup and a Grand National or Irish National and they are the biggest ones you can get.

“The dream has already been fulfilled (Walsh won the race with Papillon in 2000), but I don’t know if it will be fulfilled again.”

Le Milos bids for a second big handicap chase success of the season, having plundered the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November.

Le Milos bids to repeat the form that saw him win the Coral Gold Cup
Le Milos (centre) bids to repeat the form that saw him win the Coral Gold Cup (John Walton/PA)

Though he did not run again until being narrowly beaten at Kelso in early March, trainer Dan Skelton is confident he has him fitter than when last seen.

“Le Milos is in really good form. I took him for an away day recently, and he was very good,” said Skelton.

“He’s versatile in regards to the ground and I think he’ll stay the trip, so he’s got a good profile for the race.

“He’s a Coral Gold Cup winner and I can assure you that I was probably as fit as he was at Kelso!

“I was a bit embarrassed about it to be honest, as I knew he’d need the run, but then when you get caught that late, you do kick yourself a little bit.

“He was obviously a gallop short of winning that day but I know how much he’d done and how much he’s done since, so I know that will be well left behind.”

Longhouse Poet (left) ran well for a long way in last year's renewal
Longhouse Poet (left) ran well for a long way in last year’s renewal (PA)

Longhouse Poet was sixth last year, weakening in the finish after racing to the fore. He advertised his well-being when beating Roi Mage at Down Royal and trainer Martin Brassil, who won the race in 2006 with Numbersixvalverde, feels he will be right in the thick of things again.

“Everything is as it should be, hopefully,” he said. “He was a bit keen last year and we have had that to look back on, so we can see what we can do to alleviate it.

“The fact that he has had a run round there might mean he is not as exuberant as he was the first time, but at least he has the experience of it anyway.

“It’s a great ride for JJ (Slevin) and there has been plenty of rain, which won’t hurt – the slower the ground, the better.”

Vanillier looks nicely handicapped in the Aintree spectacular
Vanillier looks nicely handicapped in the Aintree spectacular (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Only three grey horses have landed the Aintree prize since the race’s inception in 1839 – The Lamb (1871), Nicolaus Silver (1961) and Neptune Collonges (2012).

Vanillier has just 10st 6lb on his back as he bids to join that elite trio and trainer Gavin Cromwell thinks there is plenty in his favour.

“He has a lovely weight,” said the Navan handler. “The ground looks like it is going to be ideal and he’s settled in well since he’s come over.

“We’re looking forward to it. His run last time behind Kemboy in the Bobbyjo was a great run, especially since were were ‘wrong’ at the weights, and that was a good prep.

“He has come out of that well and hopefully come forward a bit since then.

“Like every National, you need everything to go your way and you need luck on your side, but if he gets that, hopefully he’ll be in the mix.

“I think he’ll take to the fences. We schooled him over similar (National) fences at the Curragh and he seemed to like them, so fingers crossed he’ll go well.”

The Sam Thomas-trained Our Power also has a nice racing weight, having sneaked in at the foot of the handicap.

Winner of four of his eight starts over fences, the eight-year-old is on a hat-trick, having won competitive three-mile handicaps on his previous two starts at Ascot and Kempton.

“We took him to Lambourn as they’ve got two ready-made fences and it was a nice away day for them,” said Thomas. “He jumped brilliantly, had a good day out and a good experience all round.

“It’s very much an unknown, they go a terrible speed down to the first few and you’re in the lap of the gods really. You need to have a lot of luck, meet the first on a nice stride and get your feet on the ground.

“Sam (Twiston-Davies, jockey) is super excited, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s been pretty vocal about it for quite some time.

“He’s got a progressive profile I’d say. We’re going into the race with a nice, fresh horse but there are so many unknowns.”

Mister Coffey (right) will bid to give Nicky Henderson his first National success
Mister Coffey (right) will bid to give Nicky Henderson his first National success (Adam Davy/PA)

Six-times champion trainer Nicky Henderson hopes to fill the glaring omission on his glittering CV with Mister Coffey.

The eight-year-old, who was 16th when favourite for the Topham over the same Grand National fences last April, has finished runner-up on five of his eight chase starts and was placed in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last time.

“Mister Coffey’s stats are great – he’s a maiden over fences but he placed in a National Hunt Chase. But you need to worry about my stats!” Henderson said.

“It would be nice (to win it) and we will give it a go.

“He ran a great race at Cheltenham, that was a perfect Aintree trial. He took to the fences in the Topham, it just wasn’t far enough, this time it’s another whole circuit.”

The Big Dog ready to show National bite

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For a horse who has won a Grand National trial, two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland, finished third in the Welsh National and was in front of Galopin Des Champs when falling two out in the Irish Gold Cup, The Big Dog heads to Aintree under the radar.

Trained by Peter Fahey in Monasterevin, County Kildare, the 10-year-old has taken time to mature but was in the process of running a career-best by some distance at the Dublin Racing Festival.

That he tipped up when still going well adds to the intrigue. Had he stood up and finished a respectable third or fourth to subsequent Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, everyone would know just where he stood in the pecking order.

The fact he fell when still apparently going well leaves us all guessing as to where he would have finished – a far cry from when he left the Cheltenham sales ring unsold in April 2017.

“He was with Aidan Fitzgerald as a young horse and he went over to the sales at Cheltenham after one run in a point-to-point, but it didn’t work out and the lads (Damien and Colin Kelly) decided to put him into training with me – which worked out great for me,” said Fahey.

“He won a bumper for us. It gave the boys their first winner on the track. He’d run well in his first bumper behind Carefully Selected, so we knew we had something to play with.

“You could see by looking at him he was a chaser, he did win a maiden hurdle and then he went on to be second in the Red Mills Final at Punchestown after that, but it was always the plan to go chasing the following season.

“Unfortunately he picked up an injury which kept him off the track that year. He was a very lightly-raced horse, but he was a big horse, so he was only ever going to improve with racing.”

While connections never feel it at the time, there are occasions when a season on the sidelines benefits a horse, especially one as big as The Big Dog.

“He ran some good races when we finally did get him out over fences and of course he then went and won the Grand National Trial at Punchestown on his last run of the year (February 2021),” added Fahey.

“We were happy he showed us that day that he was going to be a horse good enough to run in the big handicaps, but at that stage you are only dreaming that he’s a horse for the National.

“He was improving away the whole time, but you only expected that really because he was a very big horse.”

However, last season was very definitely a bump in the road. The Welsh National was his big aim and while he was beaten a long way in his first two outings, Fahey headed to Chepstow with confidence, but luck was not with the Irish on this occasion.

The Big Dog made an early blunder which sent the reins over his head and jockey Johnny Burke had no option but to pull him up.

The Big Dog jumped the last almost upsides in the Welsh National but eventually 12st took its toll
The Big Dog jumped the last almost upsides in the Welsh National but eventually 12st took its toll (David Davies/PA)

“Last year we were trying to mind him with the Welsh National in mind. He went over for that and of course we were unlucky. When he came back he wasn’t disgraced in the National Trial again, but he was never quite right after it so we finished his season there. He came back a better horse for a longer break,” said Fahey.

He certainly did. By winning the Munster National at Limerick and the Troytown at Navan, he pocketed over €100,000 for connections and in the process earned a big enough rise in the ratings that Aintree suddenly became an option.

“He started this year by winning the Munster National and then won the Troytown off 8lb higher. They’d be two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland. To win both of them very well was great,” said Fahey.

Fahey still had an itch to scratch in Wales and The Big Dog went closer this time, beaten just over six lengths into third by The Two Amigos carrying 12st in soft ground.

But it was his most recent outing that caught the eye.

“I actually think he was running a career-best at Leopardstown last time out when he tipped up,” said Fahey.

“Keith (Donoghue) came back that day and said he couldn’t believe how easy he was going. I know the race quickened up from that point on, but he was on the front end and looked like he was going to pick up.

“To make sure he didn’t remember that, he had a school around Navan in early March and that went very well. Yogi Breisner has also been over to give him a school over poles, so everything is in place. The fall at Leopardstown hasn’t knocked his confidence at all.

“He’d always been a careful jumper but it was uncharacteristic of him to fall, hopefully that’s all behind us and we can look forward to him running a huge race at Aintree.

“Belfast Banter is my only Grade One winner to date but that was at Aintree, things like that certainly don’t hurt, hopefully this lad can put in a huge run for us.”

The Big Dog impresses Fahey with racecourse school

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The Big Dog is firmly on course for the Randox Grand National on April 15 following a successful racecourse schooling session at Navan.

Aintree has been the plan for Peter Fahey’s charge since winning both the Munster National and Troytown Handicap Chase in the early part of the season and he continued his fine campaign by putting in a respectable performance in the Welsh National at Christmas, finishing third with the burden of top weight.

Handed a Grade One assignment in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, the 10-year-old was in the process of running arguably a career best when taking a fall at the second last.

Given a clean bill of health in the aftermath of his Leopardstown outing, The Big Dog is now deep into his preparation for the Merseyside marathon, where he has a mark of 160 and set to carry 11st 5lb.

A schooling session in the hands of Keith Donoghue on Sunday left Fahey delighted and he confirmed it is “all systems go” for Liverpool, with The Big Dog is a general 25-1 for Grand National glory.

He said: “He’s good and has actually just had a racecourse school – he went two miles over fences at Navan on Sunday and he jumped very well.

“Keith Donoghue rode him and he was thrilled with him. He will ride him at Aintree for us.

“It is all systems go for the National now with him. I’m delighted with how he is, he came out of his last race really well and he put in a very good schooling session yesterday.”

The Big Dog on course for Grand National assignment

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The Big Dog has been given a clean bill of health following his fall in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, with trainer Peter Fahey reporting it is all systems go for a tilt at the Randox Grand National on April 15.

Winner of the Munster National on his first start of the season, he followed up by claiming the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan in November – a victory that had connections dreaming of Aintree in the spring.

He then continued his fine campaign by finishing third off top-weight in the Welsh Grand National before being handed a Grade One assignment at the Dublin Racing Festival earlier this month.

Tasked with tackling the likes of Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs and Stattler, the 10-year-old was more than holding his own and having travelled sweetly throughout, was well in the shake up when coming to grief at the second last.

However, he is none the worse for that tumble and all roads now lead to the Merseyside marathon, where The Big Dog is a general 25-1 shot to continue the dominance of Irish-trained horses in the race.

“It looked like he was going to run a big race when he came down. Where his finishing position would have been I don’t know, but the one thing he was always going to do was stay on from the back of the second-last,” said Fahey.

“We were thrilled with his run and although he had a bad fall, he has come out of it well. We will just build up his confidence now with a bit of jumping and the main aim will be to go to Aintree.

“He’s back working away and exercising away and everything seems fine and all going well, we’ll be at Aintree.

“At the moment we’re not looking at running him again, but we still need to get him back jumping and schooling. If he hasn’t lost his confidence too much, we’d definitely not think about running again. If I think he needs a run to get his confidence back then we will give him one, but I would be leaning towards not running him.”

He went on: “He’s had a busy enough season and we know he goes well fresh. I think he’s done enough and if his jumping is OK after his fall, we’ll head straight to Aintree.

“If all things went well the last day, I think he would have run above his mark again which would have been a big performance and I think he proved he appreciated a bit of nicer ground as well, so there are definitely a few plusses to take out of his run in the Irish Gold Cup.”

The Big Dog takes Leopardstown test en route to Aintree

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Peter Fahey is happy to give The Big Dog his Grand National prep run in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The 10-year-old has already enjoyed a fantastic season, winning the Munster National at Limerick and the Troytown Chase at Navan before finishing third under 12 stone in the Welsh Grand National.

The Big Dog will face a big rise in class on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival, with Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs among his likely rivals, but Fahey views the Grade One contest as an ideal stepping-stone to Aintree in April.

He said: “At the moment he’ll definitely be running. He came out of the race at Chepstow well.

“It’s a hugely competitive race and Grade One, but it fits in well in that it gives us enough time to aim for Aintree. Hopefully he puts in a big run and it will put us right for the Grand National, which is the main target.

“He’s a little bit behind on ratings on Saturday, but I wouldn’t be worried. It’s a lovely race for him and the ground isn’t going to be too heavy, so it won’t bottom him out too much.

“He’s after having a hard season, running in three big handicaps so far. We’re going into a Grade One race now, but it gives us enough time afterwards to freshen him up for Aintree.”

The Big Dog is one of two planned runners for Fahey on Saturday, with Visionarian set to line up in the Goffs Irish Arkle.

Visionarian winning at Galway
Visionarian winning at Galway (Brian Lawless/PA)

The eight-year-old could renew rivalry with Saint Roi, to whom he finished second in a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas, while Dysart Dynamo and Appreciate It are other potential opponents.

Visionarian is the rank outsider in ante-post lists, but Fahey is quietly confident about his chances.

He added: “Visionarian worked and schooled on Tuesday and I’m absolutely thrilled with him – he seems to have come on a bit from his last run.

“Hopefully they don’t put water on the track for him, but he’s in good form and I think he’ll run a very big race.”

Fahey plotting Grand National path for The Big Dog

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The Big Dog has Aintree in his sights after a fine weight-carrying performance in the Welsh Grand National.

Peter Fahey’s nine-year-old shouldered top-weight of 12st around Chepstow, under which he finished a gallant third when ridden by Aidan Coleman.

Fahey reports the bay, who has already won the Troytown Chase and the Munster National this term, to be well following his exertions, which will pave the way to a bid for the Grand National at Aintree come April.

“He ran a great race under the weight he carried, we were thrilled with him,” he said.

“He’s come out of the race really well and we’re aiming him at the English National now.

“We think he jumped very well on the day and we’re very excited about getting him ready for Aintree.”

Fahey is yet to plot a specific route to Aintree and will decide as the season progresses if another run is due before The Big Dog heads to Liverpool.

“We’ll know nearer the time whether he’ll run before or not, we’ll see how he is over the next month or six weeks but our aim is now the National,” he said.

“I think he has the right credentials for it, we’re looking forward to it and the owners really are as well.”

Fahey also has a big spring target for the promising Visionarian, who was an impressive second to Saint Roi on day one of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.

The performance is the latest in the seven-year-old’s ascendant chasing career, which will now head in the direction of the Cheltenham Festival – possibly via the Dublin Racing Festival.

Fahey said: “He put up a very good performance.

“We’ll probably consider keeping him in graded company with that run, whether we go to the Dublin Racing Festival or not, but he’ll be aimed at the Arkle at Cheltenham.”