Merigo the local hero in Scottish National
Keeping the in-laws happy is one of the best policies for a harmonious family life but few can combine that with career a moment of fulfilment.
Timmy Murphy achieved both when Merigo scored a home win in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr. The race had not been won by a Scottish-trained runner since Cockle Strand became the last of Ken Oliver’s five winners of the race in 1982.
Murphy had Merigo up with the leaders from the start, following a pace that had the field on the stretch and the 30 runners were soon thinned out by the time they had a mile left to run, with the well-backed Theatrical Moment and Poker De Sivola among those who were already struggling. But Merigo was pounding his way down the back straight upsides Razor Royale, with only rank outsider No Panic and the favourite, Gone To Lunch, also left in contention by the home turn.
Merigo jumped clear of Razor Royale at the fourth-last and then powered on to beat Gone To Lunch – who was finishing runner-up in the race for the second successive year – by nine lengths as No Panic won the battle with Razor Royale for the minor placings.
Murphy punched the air in delight as he passed the post for a victory that held a special resonance for him as the winner is owned by his father-in-law, Ray Green, and trained in Lockerbie by Andrew Parker. “That’s nearly more important than the Grand National,” Murphy said, bagging enough brownie points to last him a lifetime. “It puts a little bit more pressure on but I’m delighted for him. He puts so much into racing and I hope he enjoys this. Andrew’s done a fantastic job on this horse and he’s really jumped fantastic today, stayed and travelled – he couldn’t have had him any better.”
For Green the win was both a personal highlight and a poignant completion of a circle. “Ever since I got into racing the Scottish National was top of my list,” the owner said. “It’s just a dream. It’s wonderful to be the first Scottish winner since Ken Oliver won with Cockle Strand because Ken’s last winner he trained for us and when Rhona, his wife, took over her first winner was for us – so he’s up there thinking of us.”
Donald McCain may now think he has escaped the shadow of his father, Ginger, as his own career has continued to rise. Two Cheltenham Festival winners last month were further evidence of that progress but there are still reminders of the previous regime. One of the more obvious is the statue of Red Rum that meets McCain Jnr every time he arrives at Ayr. The bronze commemorates Red Rum’s victory in the Scottish Grand National just a week after he won his second Grand National at Aintrree, but McCain’s 27% strike-rate at Ayr is a potent monument to his own prowess.
That was improved by the victory of Overturn in the Samsung Electronics Scottish Champion Hurdle. Murphy took over the ride from McCain’s stable jockey Jason Maguire, who was serving a suspension, but riding tactics were not that difficult to follow. “Jason said to ride her like I left my brain in the weighing room and that’s what I did,” said Murphy, who led from start to finish. “All the credit goes to him. He told me exactly how to ride him.”
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