Racing: Low road to Aintree proves perfect route for Mangan

There was vitality in the once dead eyes of Jimmy Mangan, Monty's Pass's trainer, on Merseyside on Saturday. This was a Grand National he might not have seen, never mind won.

Binoculars are a blessed preference to the glasses Mangan once used to look through. "I stopped drinking nine years ago," he announced happily in the middle of the press conference, "otherwise I wouldn't be here."

It is still a little difficult to judge who was the winner. The silver-haired and weary-faced Mangan looks the sort of man who should be bouncing a succession of grandchildren on his knee. Yet he is only 47. Alcohol, however, has not destroyed his racing brain cells.

This was the third Irish triumph in five years at Liverpool, after Bobbyjo in 1999 and Papillon the following season, each rewarding the leading triumvirate of young Irish jockeys in Paul Carberry, Ruby Walsh and, Saturday's victor, Barry Geraghty.

Mangan went where both the others had tread before and prepared Monty's Pass over hurdles after his third place in the Munster National last October. This preserved both his handicap mark and his appetite for jumping.

It is not a new trick. It was the modus operandi of Vincent O'Brien when he hoovered up the 1953-55 Nationals with Early Mist, Royal Tan and Quare Times.

"Vincent did it years ago. He started the idea that you didn't have to school over big ones to get ready for Aintree," Ted Walsh, Papillon's trainer, said. "Putting up those pretend Liverpool fences and going over those is bullshit. You need to be going for the National with a confident horse."

This, then, could become the trend once again. Paul Nicholls believes so, as it was the preparation he assigned to the fancied but failed Ad Hoc.

Barry Geraghty, unlike his training comrade, could easily be rebuffed at the bar despite his 26 years. He is now the coming man of this sport, the leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival with five victories and now the winner of the most famous race in the world. Those that have not already utilised Geraghty's abilities, especially in Britain, will have outside rides aplenty for him should he choose to journey across the Irish Sea.

It was Geraghty's greatest skill that he made winning the mayhem race that is the Grand National look so easy. The jockey positioned Monty's Path on the rail initially, taking a prominent position to rub some danger out of the equation. The horse himself had ears pricked and a delight at being asked to test himself against the walls of spruce.

The only half mark came at the 11th and it was Geraghty who was deducted as he tried to force Monty's Pass into the fence. The horse put in a short one, skipped over, and the jockey resolved to leave the jumping decisions to the four-legged half of the partnership thereafter.

The Irish horse was moved into the centre of the course and continued to progress smoothly. Indeed, by the second fence of the second circuit, Geraghty was having to rein back Monty's Pass as he continually jumped into the lead. Remarkably, you could call the National winner from about four minutes out.

This had been a contest well stocked with proficient animals, yet only 14 of the 40 runners completed. Most of the fancied horses disappeared before, or around, halfway. Gingembre, Shotgun Willy, Chives and Ad Hoc were out. Youlneverwalkalone and Iris Bleu were also pulled up, so diminished that at one stage it was thought they might join Goguenard as victims of the 156th National.

In a sense, the drama stopped unfolding too quickly. It was a whodunnit solved in the second act. As Monty's Pass strolled home in the garden party weather it had become just like that for him. A picnic.

The run-in reception was so weak that he might as well have finished up a cathedral aisle. Not all, however, were mute. The castaway features of Mike Futter and his five-strong Dee Syndicate were twitching away. The former Blackpool man who moved to Northern Ireland over 30 years ago now owns 11 bingo halls and a punting instinct. His bets alone landed (blind) £800,000.

Futter will struggle to sneak up on the bookmakers a second time when, as announced yesterday, Monty's Pass returns to defend his crown. "He was something unreal," Mangan said. "I couldn't believe the way he floated over those jumps. He was second in the Topham Trophy last year and we said then that we were coming for the big one this year.

"He's absolutely brilliant today and has been out eating grass," added the Co Cork trainer, whose return to Ireland was delayed when he missed the boat for the only time over the weekend. "I think we'll have a crack again next year."

The placed horses – Supreme Glory, Amberleigh House and Gunner Welburn – could all return in 12 months, while time will be afforded to the injured before their futures are discussed. "Iris Bleu is comfortable at the vets in Liverpool and the early signs, after loads of x-rays, are that nothing is broken," Martin Pipe said. "He is lame though, and we just hope he'll be all right. He's got plenty of swelling and a haematoma."

Pipe's Burlu is none the worse for a gruesome tumble, but his rider, Gerry Supple, will take away a memento of Liverpool. "Gerry broke his leg," the trainer added, "and is having an operation to have his thigh pinned – so he'll have something in common with me."

The fancied Youlneverwalkalone, who was pulled up after the 12th with a fractured off-fore leg, underwent surgery at Leahurst Veterinary Hospital yesterday morning to have pins inserted in the injured leg.

GRAND NATIONAL RESULT

FINISHERS
1. Monty's Pass B J Geraghty 16-1
2. Supreme Glory L Aspell 40-1
3. Amberleigh House G Lee 33-1
4. Gunner Welburn B Fenton 16-1

5. Montifault 33-1; 6. Bindaree 25-1; 7. Carbury Cross 25-1; 8. Blowing Wind 20-1; 9. Tremallt 200-1; 10. Behrajan 22-1; 11. Djeddah 66-1; 12. Majed 200-1; 13. Royal Predica 33-1; 14. Southern Star 66-1.

FAILURES
1st fence: The Bunny Boiler (ur) 50-1
2nd fence: Bramblehill Duke (fell) 200-1
3rd fence: Wonder Weasel (fell) 50-1
6th fence (Becher's): Fadalko (ur) 100-1
8th fence: Polar Champ (ur) 200-1
12th fence: Youlneverwalkalone (pu) 8-1; Chives (pu) 10-1
15th fence (The Chair): Iris Bleu (pu) 8-1; Ballinclay King (pu) 50-1; Katarino (fell) 50-1
19th fence: Ad Hoc (ur) 9-1; Maximize (fell) 16-1; Goguenard (fell) 28-1; You're Agoodun (fell) 50-1; Robbo (ur) 100-1; Good Shuil (pu) 200-1
22nd fence (Becher's): Shotgun Willy (pu) 7-1 fav; Killusty (fell) 12-1; Empereur River (pu) 250-1
24th fence: Gingembre (pu) 14-1
25th fence: Red Ark (pu) 100-1; Mantles Prince (ur) 200-1
27th fence: Torduff Express (ur) 33-1; Red Striker (ur) 50-1; Cregg House (refused) 50-1; Burlu (fell) 200-1