racing_news/

Stewarts House Prevails in Grand Sefton
03/12/11

1 Stewarts House 11/2
2 Linnel 7/2F
3 Buffalo Bob 5/1
14 ran Distances: nk, 32l, 14l
TIME 5m 58.20s (slow by 37.20s)

Stewarts House emerged victorious after a barnstorming finish to the Betfred Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree.

Stewarts House
Grossick Racing Photography

Tim Vaughan, trainer of the winner, who prevailed over former stable companion Linnel by a neck, commented: “We bought Stewarts House for 11,000 guineas at Doncaster Sales. I bought 15 at that sale and to be truthful I was struggling a bit to pay all the bills.

“I rang Steve (Clarke) and Dominic (Wallis), the t owners, and I said look boys please help me out and I promise you there will be a big day in this lad.

“They have been great owners and are the most lovely people you could ever deal with. When we won the Newton Abbot race I thought that is the big one. He was second at Cheltenham and the trip that day probably stretched him and he is probably better on a flat galloping track.

“It made it more exciting today with the second horse coming on - I was thinking please, please do not lose by a nose. I love all winners but it is special over those fences - I could not be happier. I am delighted for everyone.

“Mr Moore, who had him previously, said his wind was pretty poor. We had him and he made a noise on the gallops. I said to the boys that we will get him as fit and healthy as we can and run him at Newton Abbot. If Dickie Johnson said there his wind was not great, then we’d undertake a wind operation.

“In fact we gave Stewarts House a soft palate operation the day after that win and he came back at Cheltenham and his wind was perfect.

“I think that the heavy ground today took its toll on lots of them today and Aidan said the horse was a bit thick in his wind.

“I don’t know if he will stay the trip in a Grand National but I would love to come back here and give him a spin in the race on better ground. We would drop him in and just creep away and you never know, do you. I love the National - it is what I have dreamt of. It would give me great pleasure to have a few runners in it but first of all we are going to enjoy today.”

Stewarts House, who started at 11/2, led between the last two but Linnel, trained by Arthur Moore in Ireland, seemed to be cruising under Paul Carberry. However, the 7/2 favourite made a mistake at the last and appeared beaten before rallying in the last 100 yards after being switched out.

Aidan Coleman, the winning rider, was delighted to achieve his first win over the Grand National fences, but the stewards found that he had hit his mount 11 times and suspended him for seven days and withheld his prize money. His ban will start on Saturday, December 17 and cover racing days up and including December 27.

The jockey before being called in by the stewards said: “I have not had any luck over these fences before so it is fantastic to ride a winner. Tim has been great to me this season so it means a lot, especially as I missed out on a National winner a couple of years ago (Mon Mome - 2009). It is great. I thought I was going to be second going into the last but to be fair my lad has been very brave and very tough. He did not deserve to get beat.”