Aintree is aim for surprise Scottish National hero Iris

Apr 21 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

NEXT year’s John Smith’s Grand National is a possible target for Iris De Balme after his surprise victory in the Scottish version at Ayr on Saturday.

Trainer Sean Curran was delighted, but almost as surprised as most with Iris De Balme’s 66-1 success in the Coral Scottish National on Saturday.

Despite being 26lbs out of the handicap the eight-year-old scooted 14 lengths clear of top weight Halcon Genelardais at the end of the 4m1f showpiece to give Curran and conditional jockey Charlie Huxley their biggest success.

The 37-year-old Curran, who is still a licensed National Hunt jockey, has only been training at his Oxfordshire base for 18 months. He has ridden more than 100 winners and was also sixth aboard Killeshin in the 1998 Grand National.

Now he is looking to next year’s Aintree showpiece as a chief target for Iris De Balme.

He said: “We entered Iris De Balme in the National two years ago but he had such a lowly rating we had to take him out.

“We’ll take each race as it comes but with the rating he’s now going to get, you would have to look at races like that (the Grand National).

“The amazing thing is that he’s still a novice over fences and over hurdles.”

Iris De Balme had been held up at the back for much of the marathon contest, but moved through the field with menace and took over from top weight Halcon Genelardais at the second last. And once he hit the front he made a mockery of his lowly handicap mark to score.

His Farringdon handler added: “Going up there 26lb out of the handicap, we just wanted him to run respectively.

“If he’d have finished about 10th, and not been beaten by far, we’d have been thrilled.

“Going down the back straight, I’d have just been happy to get a place. But he stayed and jumped – and then showed that amazing speed.”

The victory has put the Grey Fox Stables – which Curran leases from former footballer and Iris De Balme’s co-owner Lee Power – on the racing map.

The 36-year-old played in the Premier League for Norwich, Charlton and Portsmouth before turning his attentions to sports publishing and racing.

Power recently added the respected Racing Ahead Weekend newspaper, which is edited by former Liverpool Daily Post journalist Stephen Mullen, to his growing list of sporting titles.

Now Iris De Balme’s success could also help increase both owner and trainer’s profile on the track. Curran said: “It’s a massive victory for everyone at the yard and hopefully it has put us on the map. To have a runner in a big race like that is a huge achievement for a small yard like ours. But to actually win it, that’s something else.”

This Saturday’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, on the final day of the National Hunt campaign, could also be on the agenda for Iris De Balme.

Last year’s Scottish National winner Hot Weld became the first horse to win both races and Curran is mulling over whether his eight-year-old will bid to try and complete the double.

He said: “I ride him every day so I’ll know whether he will be fit for Sandown. I don’t want to run him just for the sake of it. But if the ground was no quicker than good, and he’s in good form, we will give it a go.”

Iris De Balme is a best-priced 10-1 chance with the sponsors bet365 and Coral behind 6-1 favourite Royal County Star to add success at Sandown this weekend.

Coral spokesman David Stevens said: “Hot Weld completed the big-race double 12 months ago, and if Iris De Balme attempts to emulate him, there’s no way he’ll be allowed to go off at 66-1 at Sandown.”

Meanwhile John Dunlop’s Muthabara is a best-priced 9-2 with William Hill, Coral, and Paddy Power for the stanjamesuk.com 1,000 Guineas after her stylish win in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Dunlop has saddle two fillies to victory in the Newbury trial in the last 20 years who have gone to Classic glory at Newmarket. And he said of the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned unbeaten daughter of Red Ransom: “Both of the other fillies (Natagora and Infallible) who won their trials this week have won very well indeed. Ours is a very nice filly, but whether she is very good, we’ll just have to see.”

TODAY’S NAP: Stevie Gee (3.10pm Pontefract).