The people of the town welcomed local trainer James Motherway and his mare Bluesea Cracker who won the Irish Grand National in fine style. The streets were lined with well wishers and there was a real party atmosphere.
Click here to see some photos of the event
The win was a fairytale Bluesea Cracker (IRE), part of a small string of horses trained in Cork by James Motherway. This was the first mare to land the Irish National since Ebony Jane in 1993. She got a fine ride off Andrew McNamara, who produced her to lead after the second last, and although losing his whip on landing over the last it made no difference as she powered clear of Oscar Time (IRE) and Whatuthink (IRE) to win by 4½ lengths. It was the biggest success in the career of Cork-based Motherway – and the trainer’s first over fences this season. Bluesea Cracker had finished second to Ballytrim on her latest appearance at Naas in March but had won a Grade Two as a novice at Limerick in April last year, the only other time she had been partnered by McNamara.
For trainer James Motherway it was by far the biggest success of his career and one that he will appreciate hugely; “We have only 13 horses in training, fewer than we had, and that is down to the economic times we are in. Myself and Andy [McNamara] were anxious going out that she’d get home in the soft ground, but she came home full of herself in the end.” The winner is owned by a seven member syndicate which includes the mare’s breeder Sean Murphy. Though she comes from a family that includes former top class chaser Carvills Hill, her unraced sire Buster King has only sired three winners, one of the others being Inchidaly Rock, a very useful chaser in training with Paul Nicholls. Buster King, now aged 24 stands at Firgrove Stud in Cork.
Though not obvious beforehand, with hindsight the mare had good credential for such a race. She was narrowly beaten by Ballytrim on her previous outing and if you rewind back exactly one year ago to a Grade 2 Novice Chase at Limerick, she was upsides Oscar Time at the last when that rival fell, leaving her clear to claim the valuable event. It’s amazing how both horses ran exactly to the same form a year later over a further five furlongs. As is the fashion with high profile chasers these days, Bluesea Cracker started her racing career by winning a 4yo mares maiden point to point at Boulta in 2006. She has been well tutored by her trainer since then, finishing in the frame 11 times in 23 runs.
The victory of Bluesea Cracker highlighted just why National Hunt racing is so popular in Ireland and Great Britain. It provides the opportunity for small scale owners, breeders and trainers to compete with success at the highest level. Flat Racing though wonderful in its own right has relatively high barriers of entry and can sometimes be dominated by an elite pool of participants. Bluesea Cracker is a prime example of why people get involved on this sport and more importantly can get involved in this sport. She was cheaply bred, is owned by a group of seven, thus limiting training expenses. Her success has also massively enhanced her own future breeding credentials and she joins a very unique club of Grand National winning mare. The previously mentioned winner of the race Ebony Jane has been a great success at stud, producing five winners including the high class Definity, Gansey, Bolt Action and The Minack. Bluesea Cracker has a lot to live up when she retires.