It is seven years and counting since Native River became the last horse trained in Britain to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but the beleaguered home team has conceivably emerged from the first two days of the Christmas programme with not one, but two realistic contenders for next year’s race, after Haiti Couleurs put up a magnificent performance to win the Welsh Grand National here under 11st 13lb on Saturday.
Or, as Haiti Couleurs’ connections might prefer it, England has a chance with Friday’s King George winner, The Jukebox Man, and Wales has a shout with Haiti Couleurs, who is trained by Rebecca Curtis in Pembrokeshire and ridden by Sean Bowen, the champion jockey, who was born just down the road from her yard.
Bowen gave another demonstration on Haiti Couleurs of what is now his trademark ability to seize the initiative in a race and not let go. His mount was a little free behind the pace on the first circuit, and despite his big weight and the distance still left to travel, Bowen did not hesitate to allow him to stride on into the lead.
Haiti Couleurs did not see another rival from there, and there were definite echoes of Native River’s front-running performance under a similar burden in this race in 2016, 15 months before his Gold Cup victory, as the eight-year-old powered clear with O’Connell turning for home and then held him at bay with an unflinching gallop from two out.
This was the second “National” win of Haiti Couleurs’ career after his success in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April, and the initial reaction from bookmakers was to cut his price to complete a Grand National treble at Aintree in the spring.
Paddy Power make him a 14-1 chance (from 20-1) for the world’s most famous steeplechase, but he also has a Cheltenham festival win on his record in the National Hunt Challenge Cup last season – a race in which Native River finished second in his novice season – and the 33-1 about Curtis’s gelding for the Gold Cup might not last long if it is confirmed as a target.
From Curtis’s point of view, though, talk of Cheltenham and Aintree can wait. Like Bowen, she was winning her “home” National for the first time, and it was an impressive training performance to get Haiti Couleurs back to his relentless best after a disappointing run in the Betfair Chase last time out.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get him back, I was upset about Haydock and I knew he was still a very good horse,” Curtis said. “He’s done that so well and aggressively today, he outclassed them and was back to his very best. Sean said he had to go to the front as he couldn’t hold him, and when he’s like that, you know he’s back to his best.
“I’m Welsh, Sean’s Welsh and most of my staff are and it’s a really prestigious race we have wanted to win for many years.”
Leicester 12.05 Roi Du Risk 12.37 Kapamazov 1.12 Casa Loupi 1.47 Two To Tango 2.22 Jhentong Enki 2.57 Heeztheboy (nap) 3.32 Gentleman Toboot
Catterick Bridge 12.18 Bravethewaves 12.53 Ballyeaston 1.28 Classical Sting 2.03 Ninna Collina 2.38 Redbridge Rambler 3.13 Camarrate
Southwell 1.00 Cerelia 1.35 Ziggy’s Angel 2.10 Raging Raj 2.45 Bowfell 3.20 Hunky Dory 3.50 Sax Appeal 4.20 Toolatetonegotiate (nb) 4.50 Mr Nugget
Bowen was touched off aboard Banbridge in the thrilling finish to Friday’s King George at Kempton, but a first victory in Saturday’s race was decent compensation for the runaway leader in the National Hunt riders’ title race.
“It means so much,” Bowen said. “These are the races you want to win and to do it on a Welsh-trained horse for a Welsh trainer is special.
“Becky actually used to babysit me a bit as a kid, so to do it for Becky is a bit like doing it for family, so that was amazing. It would have been nice to win the King George as well, but I’ll take this.”
