Fergie time at Aintree as former Red Devils boss relishes famous Merseyside treble

Owner and former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson enjoyed a famous treble at Aintree. Photo: David Davies/Jockey Club

Marcus Armytage

April 09 2021 02:30 AM

It was going to take something to overshadow Tiger Roll’s appearance, win, lose or draw, in the Betway Bowl, but as the two-time Grand National winner plodded round in fourth, beaten 92 lengths, up front Alex Ferguson was completing a treble courtesy of Clan Des Obeaux.

During his career in football management Ferguson (below) never won 3-0 on Merseyside but he left Aintree with an armful of trophies and after watching his silks carried to success in three Grade One races in little over an hour. He described it as his best day in 20 years involved in racehorse ownership.

It started well when 17/2 shot Protektorat won the SSS Super Alloys Manifesto Novices’ Chase – keeping one of the meeting’s sub-plots, the jockeys’ title, on the boil as it meant winning jockey Harry Skelton drew level with Brian Hughes on 134.

In the next race Monmiral kept his unbeaten record intact in the Doom Bar Anniversary Hurdle before Clan Des Obeaux came home 26 lengths clear of Clondaw Castle to give Ferguson and his partners a third winner.

Ferguson, who has Give Me A Copper in tomorrow ’s Grand National, said: “Clan Des Obeaux was the best horse in the race, he was fresh not having run for three months and the cheek-pieces definitely helped him – these things matter.

“Winning’s the name of the game. It is different to when I was managing my football teams – I was in control of what was going to happen on the pitch, but I’m not in control of that (on the racetrack) as the trainer does all of that and as an owner you hope it goes well. You do get the same excitement when you win big races like that as it does get you very excited.”

Having not troubled the scorers at Cheltenham, Clan Des Obeaux’s win also completed a quickfire double for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden.

Tiger Roll’s fourth proved nothing regarding his handicap mark as Aintree’s Mildmay course is chalk from cheese in comparison to the National course which brings him alive. “He was completely out of his comfort zone,” said jockey Jack Kennedy. “He was not up to them today.” The stewards, however, did hold an inquiry into the running and riding of Tiger Roll, interviewing Kennedy and trainer Denise Foster.

In the stewards’ report, Kennedy said his instructions were to make the running but that he felt the gelding was never really travelling due to the fast early pace, a fact which he reported at scales, and that following a mistake at the third fence he was never able to hold his position.

Foster confirmed both the instructions given and also that Tiger Roll may have been unsuited to the fast pace. She further added the race may have come too soon after the recent run at Cheltenham. Their explanations were noted.

Despite all this, it was not all bad for owner Michael O’Leary. Abacadabras, which carried the same silks and jockey as Tiger Roll, appreciated the step up to two-and-a-half miles in the Betway Aintree Hurdle, coming home a length and a quarter in front of Buzz. The trip, it would appear, is the key to him.

If the Rose Paterson Randox Foxhunters, the first race over the National fences, is anything to go by then do not rule out long shots in tomorrow’s big race. It was won by the 66/1 shot Cousin Pascal and the fourth, only beaten five lengths, was a 200/1 shot, Clondaw Westie.

Today at Aintree, Dashel Drasher can cap an excellent campaign with a second Grade One success in the Marsh Chase. Jeremy Scott’s second-season chaser took the Ascot Chase in game fashion to open his account at the top level in February.

The eight-year-old will arrive on Merseyside a fresh horse, having missed the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham because the ground had dried out too much at Prestbury Park. He has had an extra three weeks to prepare Dashel Drasher for this and the ground should be fine.

The visual spectacle is the Randox Topham Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences. Huntsman Son looks an ideal type for this race. The 11-year-old, trained by Alex Hales, is a sound jumper and has been lightly campaigned.