For a horse who has won a Grand National trial, two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland, finished third in the Welsh National and was in front of Galopin Des Champs when falling two out in the Irish Gold Cup, The Big Dog heads to Aintree under the radar.
Trained by Peter Fahey in Monasterevin, County Kildare, the 10-year-old has taken time to mature but was in the process of running a career-best by some distance at the Dublin Racing Festival.
That he tipped up when still going well adds to the intrigue. Had he stood up and finished a respectable third or fourth to subsequent Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, everyone would know just where he stood in the pecking order.
The fact he fell when still apparently going well leaves us all guessing as to where he would have finished – a far cry from when he left the Cheltenham sales ring unsold in April 2017.
"He was with Aidan Fitzgerald as a young horse and he went over to the sales at Cheltenham after one run in a point-to-point, but it didn't work out and the lads (Damien and Colin Kelly) decided to put him into training with me – which worked out great for me," said Fahey.
"He won a bumper for us. It gave the boys their first winner on the track. He'd run well in his first bumper behind Carefully Selected, so we knew we had something to play with.
"You could see by looking at him he was a chaser, he did win a maiden hurdle and then he went on to be second in the Red Mills Final at Punchestown after that, but it was always the plan to go chasing the following season.
"Unfortunately he picked up an injury which kept him off the track that year. He was a very lightly-raced horse, but he was a big horse, so he was only ever going to improve with racing."
While connections never feel it at the time, there are occasions when a season on the sidelines benefits a horse, especially one as big as The Big Dog.
"He ran some good races when we finally did get him out over fences and of course he then went and won the Grand National Trial at Punchestown on his last run of the year (February 2021)," added Fahey.
"We were happy he showed us that day that he was going to be a horse good enough to run in the big handicaps, but at that stage you are only dreaming that he's a horse for the National.
"He was improving away the whole time, but you only expected that really because he was a very big horse."
However, last season was very definitely a bump in the road. The Welsh National was his big aim and while he was beaten a long way in his first two outings, Fahey headed to Chepstow with confidence, but luck was not with the Irish on this occasion.
The Big Dog made an early blunder which sent the reins over his head and jockey Johnny Burke had no option but to pull him up.
"Last year we were trying to mind him with the Welsh National in mind. He went over for that and of course we were unlucky. When he came back he wasn't disgraced in the National Trial again, but he was never quite right after it so we finished his season there. He came back a better horse for a longer break," said Fahey.
He certainly did. By winning the Munster National at Limerick and the Troytown at Navan, he pocketed over €100,000 for connections and in the process earned a big enough rise in the ratings that Aintree suddenly became an option.
"He started this year by winning the Munster National and then won the Troytown off 8lb higher. They'd be two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland. To win both of them very well was great," said Fahey.
Fahey still had an itch to scratch in Wales and The Big Dog went closer this time, beaten just over six lengths into third by The Two Amigos carrying 12st in soft ground.
But it was his most recent outing that caught the eye.
"I actually think he was running a career-best at Leopardstown last time out when he tipped up," said Fahey.
"Keith (Donoghue) came back that day and said he couldn't believe how easy he was going. I know the race quickened up from that point on, but he was on the front end and looked like he was going to pick up.
"To make sure he didn't remember that, he had a school around Navan in early March and that went very well. Yogi Breisner has also been over to give him a school over poles, so everything is in place. The fall at Leopardstown hasn't knocked his confidence at all.
"He'd always been a careful jumper but it was uncharacteristic of him to fall, hopefully that's all behind us and we can look forward to him running a huge race at Aintree.
"Belfast Banter is my only Grade One winner to date but that was at Aintree, things like that certainly don't hurt, hopefully this lad can put in a huge run for us."
