6 days ago
West Coast looking for historic fourth National win
Mark Oulaghan is hoping the extreme distance of the 150th Grand National Steeplechase will play into the hands of West Coast, as his champion jumper attempts to rewrite the history books tomorrow at Riccarton Park.
The adored 10-year-old has won the last three editions of the National, becoming the second horse to claim three titles since Agent in the 19th century, and the first to do so in successive years.
After a top performance to finish second in the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, West Coast earned himself a fourth trip to the southern course, where he opened his account with a gritty third in last Saturday's Koral Steeplechase, won by hot-favourite Jesko.
Oulaghan was pleased with the performance, which was Victorian hoop Willie McCarthy's first steer aboard the son of Mettre En Jeu.
"It was a good run," Oulaghan said.
"He covered a bit of extra ground and probably got going a little bit earlier than would have been ideal, but at the end of it, he was only six lengths off the winner. We were pretty happy with it.
'Willie quite liked him and he's confident that he can improve on Saturday.'
In addition to his National haul, West Coast has two Great Northern Steeplechase crowns on the mantelpiece, so the marathon journey is nothing new.
'I think that's his strong point — once he gets over those longer distances, he just seems to be able to grind it out,' Oulaghan said.
West Coast is owned by Twizel racing identity Ron Williamson, his wife, Jennifer, and their son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Gaby. The Williamson family, previously from Birchwood Station in the Ahuriri Valley, have been longtime racing supporters.
Both Ron and Jennifer were involved in the centennial celebration of the Grand National, held at Willowbridge, where the first race was held 150 years ago.
There is another Williamson connection in John Meyer, originally from Waimate and who once worked at Birchwood, who is a part-owner of West Coast stablemate Berry The Cash.
The extra kilometre of the 135th Grand National Hurdles will come to the benefit of Berry The Cash, who ran on late to place in both the Hawke's Bay Hurdles and Sydenham Hurdles.
While his older counterpart is shooting for a record four crowns, Berry The Cash will be chasing a threepeat of his own tomorrow in the hurdle, off the back of a tidy effort behind Dictation — who has been scratched for tomorrow with a minor ligament injury — in the Sydenham.
'It was a good run by him under the weight and at the distance, so we're happy with him too,' Oulaghan said.
'He's a grinding type of horse and finishes it off, so the extra distance is suitable for him. There is a bit of rain forecast for down there, which wouldn't worry him, while one or two of the others might not be too keen on it.'
While his star pair spend the week in Christchurch, Oulaghan is back at home in Awapuni preparing for a rather different assignment with Jack Morrison.
The son of Darci Brahma has racked up six victories from eight attempts on his local synthetic track, and for the first time, will venture further afield to chase the big prize at Cambridge in the $100,000 TAB Polytrack Championship today. — News Desk
