| Course: AINTREE | Race date:08/04/06 | Race time:4:15 | Runners:40 |
| Race distance:4m4f | Going:Good To Soft | Winners time:9m 41.00s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numbersixvalverde | N P Madden | Martin Brassil | 10-8 | 10 | 154 | 138 | 11/1 | 17 | 11.44 | 3.5 | 1.01 | 1 | ||
| Hedgehunter | R Walsh | W P Mullins | 11-12 | 10 | 166 | 156 | 5/1J | 8.4 | 6.47 | 2.58 | 1.01 | 2 | 6 | |
| Clan Royal | A P McCoy | Jonjo O´Neill | 10-10 | 11 | 151 | 140 | 5/1J | 7.4 | 6.44 | 2.4 | 1.01 | 3 | 1¼ | |
| Nil Desperandum | T P Treacy | Ms F M Crowley | 10-7 | 9 | 145 | 137 | 33/1 | 85 | 39.02 | 2 | 2 | 4 | shd | |
| Risk Accessor | Noel Fehily | Jonjo O´Neill | 10-6 | 11 | 114 | 136 | 66/1 | 360 | 117.9 | 18 | 5 | 5 | dist | |
| Puntal | B J Geraghty | M C Pipe | 10-12 | 10 | 97 | 142 | 66/1 | 140 | 64.22 | 12 | 2.24 | 6 | 16 | |
| Joes Edge | D N Russell | Ferdy Murphy | 10-10 | 9 | 95 | 140 | 20/1 | 40 | 22.7 | 3.75 | 3 | 7 | 2½ | |
| Inca Trail | Brian Harding | D McCain | 10-9 | 10 | 72 | 139 | 40/1 | 95 | 43.26 | 8 | 2.02 | 8 | 22 | |
| Forest Gunner | Miss N Carberry | R Ford | 10-10 | 12 | 69 | 140 | 33/1 | 120 | 56.22 | 6.4 | 2.24 | 9 | 3½ | |
| Le Duc | Jamie Moore | P F Nicholls | 10-10 | 7 | 0 | 140 | 33/1 | 75 | 37.37 | 8.2 | 7.2 | UR | ||
| First Gold | Richard McGrath | F Doumen | 10-10 | 13 | 0 | 140 | 100/1 | 370 | 153.55 | 9.6 | 3 | UR | ||
| Whispered Secret | R J Greene | M C Pipe | 10-12 | 7 | 0 | 142 | 100/1 | 580 | 207.11 | 13 | 90 | UR | ||
| Rince Ri | Andrew J McNamara | T M Walsh | 10-12 | 13 | 0 | 142 | 100/1 | 390 | 163.92 | 9.6 | 5 | REF | ||
| Native Upmanship | C O´Dwyer | A L T Moore | 11-0 | 13 | 0 | 144 | 100/1 | 460 | 169.61 | 25 | 50 | REF | ||
| Shotgun Willy | Andrew Tinkler | R C Guest | 10-5 | 12 | 0 | 135 | 33/1 | 420 | 100.46 | 10.5 | 3.4 | PU | ||
| Iris Royal | Marcus Foley | N J Henderson | 10-6 | 10 | 0 | 136 | 100/1 | 450 | 220.04 | 20 | 110 | PU | ||
| Colnel Rayburn | J L Cullen | Paul Nolan | 10-6 | 10 | 0 | 136 | 50/1 | 190 | 85.76 | 10.5 | 10 | PU | ||
| Direct Access | Tony Dobbin | N G Richards | 10-6 | 11 | 0 | 136 | 25/1 | 42 | 25.56 | 6.4 | 10 | PU | ||
| Iznogoud | Tom Scudamore | M C Pipe | 10-8 | 10 | 0 | 138 | 200/1 | 650 | 224.2 | 12 | 10 | PU | ||
| Garvivonnian | G Cotter | Edward P Mitchell | 10-8 | 11 | 0 | 138 | 11/1 | 21 | 13.2 | 2.2 | 3 | PU | ||
| Amberleigh House | G Lee | D McCain | 10-9 | 14 | 0 | 139 | 50/1 | 230 | 71.62 | 10 | 4 | PU | ||
| Lord Of Illusion | Jason Maguire | T R George | 10-11 | 9 | 0 | 141 | 33/1 | 80 | 37.06 | 5.5 | 4 | PU | ||
| Therealbandit | Richard Johnson | M C Pipe | 11-9 | 9 | 0 | 153 | 50/1 | 150 | 71.66 | 11.5 | 5 | PU | ||
| Cornish Rebel | Joe Tizzard | P F Nicholls | 11-9 | 9 | 0 | 153 | 22/1 | 38 | 22.47 | 5 | 5 | PU | ||
| Le Roi Miguel | Liam Heard | P F Nicholls | 11-7 | 8 | 0 | 151 | 150/1 | 510 | 245.36 | 15 | 50 | PU | ||
| It Takes Time | Timmy Murphy | M C Pipe | 11-8 | 12 | 0 | 152 | 50/1 | 140 | 67.29 | 11 | 3 | PU | ||
| Just In Debt | Alan Dempsey | M Todhunter | 10-4 | 10 | 0 | 134 | 50/1 | 500 | 93.3 | 13 | 20 | F | ||
| Jack High | D J Casey | T M Walsh | 10-7 | 11 | 0 | 137 | 9/1 | 18 | 12.6 | 2.2 | 3 | UR | ||
| Royal Auclair | Christian Williams | P F Nicholls | 11-12 | 9 | 0 | 156 | 33/1 | 70 | 30.48 | 5.6 | 9 | F | ||
| Tyneandthyneagain | Peter Buchanan | J Howard Johnson | 10-7 | 11 | 0 | 137 | 100/1 | 330 | 135.43 | 22 | 100 | F | ||
| Innox | Robert Thornton | F Doumen | 10-13 | 10 | 0 | 143 | 10/1 | 18.5 | 11.88 | 3 | 5 | F | ||
| Ross Comm | Dominic Elsworth | Mrs S J Smith | 10-5 | 10 | 0 | 135 | 16/1 | 24 | 15.88 | 4.3 | 17 | F | ||
| Ebony Light | S J Craine | D McCain | 10-10 | 10 | 0 | 140 | 50/1 | 210 | 69.72 | 11 | 12 | F | ||
| Haut De Gamme | Keith Mercer | Ferdy Murphy | 10-7 | 11 | 0 | 137 | 25/1 | 60 | 28.53 | 5 | 21 | F | ||
| Ballycassidy | Leighton Aspell | P Bowen | 10-9 | 10 | 0 | 139 | 80/1 | 300 | 111.23 | 6.6 | 2.32 | F | ||
| Juveigneur | Mick Fitzgerald | N J Henderson | 10-9 | 9 | 0 | 139 | 25/1 | 48 | 29.85 | 6 | 25 | F | ||
| Sir Oj | P Carberry | Noel Meade | 10-10 | 9 | 0 | 140 | 33/1 | 70 | 36.46 | 5 | 7 | F | ||
| Heros Collonges | John McNamara | P F Nicholls | 10-7 | 11 | 0 | 137 | 66/1 | 300 | 107.64 | 15 | 3.05 | UR | ||
| Baron Windrush | Carl Llewellyn | N A Twiston-Davies | 10-7 | 8 | 0 | 137 | 66/1 | 210 | 85.28 | 11 | 27 | UR | ||
| Silver Birch | Sam Thomas | P F Nicholls | 10-12 | 9 | 0 | 142 | 40/1 | 90 | 45.56 | 7.4 | 5 | F |
The rain was against last year's winner Hedgehunter - Ruby Walsh reported he was never going as well as 12 months ago. Also, he was racing off a 12lb higher mark. However, he ran a fine race in second, the winner proving too strong for him after the last, and though he is likely to face an even stiffer task next year after his second in the Gold Cup, he's a brilliant National horse and couldn't be ruled out, particularly on better ground.
Clan Royal again ran a fine race, despite making a mistake on the second circuit. In the group who were clear going to the third-last, he still had every chance at the last. Soon afterwards he looked as though he was going to weaken out of it but ran on again to take third close home. It was another sound run, but he has probably had his chance now.
Nil Desperandum was sixth last year and ran ever better this time. Like several of these, the race seems to bring out the best in him. A sound jumper, he may yet make it into a place.
Risk Accessor had unseated his rider on two previous tries in the race, but ran much better this time despite a mistake at the water. Well though he ran, he didn't quite get home and faded to finish fifth.
Joes Edge, last year's Scottish National winner, was within striking distance of the leaders on the run to Becher's second time, but he gradually weakened on ground that wasn't ideal for him. There may be other years for him. Inca Trail, who was a bit keen, ran really well for a long way and jumped well before he ran out of stamina from the third-last. A race like the Becher Chase could be ideal for him.
Forest Gunner, who had been badly out of form, ran his best race for a while on a course that seems to bring out the best in him, but once again he didn't get home. He's another likely Becher Chase candidate for next season.
Last year's Scottish National runner-up Cornish Rebel didn't take to the track and was pulled up after halfway. If this hasn't taken too much out of him, he could be a live candidate if going back to Ayr this month. Therealbandit, who raced wide, ran well for a long way but dropped away in the final mile. His stablemate It Takes Time made a mistake at Becher's first time, never really got competitive and was pulled up. The veteran Nativeupmanship was slow to start and never featured, Lord Of Illusion reportedly bled from the nose, First Gold jumped well in the main and showed up for a long way but was behind when he came down at the Foinavon fence second time round. Age seems to be catching up with him. The same applies to Amberleigh House, who was pulled up on ground that wasn't ideal for him, but Ballycassidy ran a blinder up with the pace and was still clear and going well when he fell at Valentine's second time. Garvivonnian didn't seem to take to the fences and was pulled up after a circuit when well behind. The ground was thought to be too tacky for Iris Royal and Le Roi Miguel didn't get home. [CR]
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