Dingo Dollar cashes in at Aintree with veterans’ victory
A second tilt at the Scottish Grand National is the likely long-term target for Dingo Dollar after his triumphant return in the Jewson Widnes Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Aintree.
The 10-year-old finished second in the Ayr marathon in 2021 for Sandy Thomson, while last season he instead contested the Grand National itself but unseated his rider at the Canal Turn.
Making his first appearance since that spill, Dingo Dollar was a 12-1 shot in the hands of Conor O’Farrell and few would have fancied his chances turning for home.
Following a bold front-running display, Wishing And Hoping was still leading his rivals a merry dance at the top of the straight, but tired between the final two fences, at which stage Dingo Dollar was just finding his stride and went on to pull eight and a half lengths clear of the gallant runner-up.
“They’ve just gone too quick in front and it turned into a staying contest, which is what he wants,” Thomson said.
“He used to have to bowl along in front, but now he’s quite happy to sit in and Conor gave him a brilliant ride – he bided his time and hoped they’d stop, which they did.
“The Scottish National would be a target at the end of the season, although today isn’t going to help his handicap mark obviously.
“He’s been a star ever since we’ve had him. We decided to go for the National last year and it messed up his season completely so there’s no plans to go for the National this year.
“Being his age we’ll just find what races we can. There’s a veterans’ chase at Haydock that might be a plan and we might look at the Veterans’ Final – you have to with the sort of money that’s on offer.”
Honor Grey benefited from a cool ride from Luca Morgan when claiming top honours in the Jewson Click And Collect Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
A winner at Ffos Las and Southwell in the spring, Ben Pauling’s charge was sent off at 9-1 for his return from five months off the track and moved powerfully to the lead in the home straight.
The seven-year-old idled close home, giving the strong-finishing Glimpse Of Gala brief hope, but Honor Grey had enough in hand to hold on by three-quarters of a length.
“We normally ride him in second or third, but the first half a mile of the race was really messy and we were a lot further back than planned. It didn’t seem to worry him too much and he travelled great,” said Morgan.
“He wasn’t that confident in his jumping, but the blinkers seem to have sharpened him up. He jumped great and travelled great, so I’m delighted.”
Peking Rose was made to pull out all the stops to justify 5-2 favouritism in the Jewson Southport, Bispham Handicap Hurdle.
Fergal O’Brien’s charge was strongly pressed by the Donald McCain-trained A Different Kind on the run to the line, but clung on by a short head under a power-packed Paddy Brennan drive.
“He had to dig very deep and there’s nothing nicer than coming to Aintree and beating Donald McCain,” O’Brien quipped.
“I told him I’d settle for a dead-heat as I thought we’d got beat to be fair, but he toughed it out and Paddy has given him a lovely ride.
“He’s improved for the summer off and we’re absolutely delighted.”
Mahons Glory, placed seven times in Ireland for Denis Hogan, made a successful first start since being bought by Dr Richard Newland for £26,000 in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle.
Newland said of his Charlie Hammond-ridden 14-1 winner: “That was really good and we didn’t really expect it as I felt the horse would need the run a bit, like most of mine at the moment.
“There’s a few quirks in there, but he has a lot of ability. He’s not the easiest horse to keep sound and that is probably the challenge, but there’s no doubting he’s got an engine.”
Kinondo Kwetu extended his winning sequence to six in the Jewson Wigan, Victoria Street Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase for the husband and wife team of Jonathan and Sam England.
Turning out just nine days after his latest triumph at Uttoxeter, the 15-8 favourite quickened up smartly from the omitted final fence to beat Your Own Story by a length and a quarter.
“I think today was definitely his best performance. The handicapper put him up 8lb for winning at Uttoxeter and he’s really had to dig in,” said winning rider Jonathan England.
“It’s tiring enough ground and he probably wouldn’t want the extremes in the middle of the winter, so if it means minding him now for a nice target in the spring, that might be an option.
“At the same time we don’t want to stop with a horse that in good form, so we’ll see.”
Harry Fry’s Credrojava prevailed as the 15-8 favourite in the Siniat EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race – a win that could have been costly for Betfair as one punter was set to pocket £425,000 if she triumphed.
The victory would have been the final leg of an each-way Lucky 31 and five-fold accumulator at a total stake of £67. But the punter in question understandably accepted a £57,000 cash out instead.
Jockey Jonathan Burke said of Credrojava’s success: “She probably over-raced a fraction and that’s why I let her go to the front a long way from home because I thought if I let her go, I’d let her fill, whereas where I was I was only going to get in a fight.
“From the top of the home straight I was able to let her stretch and she kept finding. The winning margin closed because she was idling more than anything.
“She’s got a bit of class. Harry’s got a good record in this bumper and they’ve all stepped up in grade.”