Imported gelding caps dream debut jumps season with Grand National win
Rachel Cunningham's faith in The Good Fight was justified on Sunday when the Kiwi gelding won an eventful $400,000 Grand National Steeplechase.
The High Chaparral 10-year-old started his career in New Zealand before joining Mike Moroney's Flemington stable and getting to Cunningham via a stint with Reece Goodwin and ran out the 4500 metres of the Ballarat event best.
The victory came less than three months after his jumping debut, a fourth placing in a maiden hurdle at Hamilton, and was a special result for Cunningham.
"This horse is very special, he's an incredible horse, and I've wanted him for years," Cunningham said.
"I was underbidder on Inglis (Digital Sale), Reece Goodwin bought him, but he came over with owners as well to go jumping and this time the plan has worked.
"He's had a mammoth season and coming into this race today I just knew he was better than he was at the start (of the season)."
The Good Fight's win was the second Grand National Steeplechase success for Pakenham-based Cunningham, who won the 2020 edition with Bee Tee Junior.
That gelding was ridden by Lee Horner, but it was his brother Darryl who had the job aboard The Good Fight at Ballarat.
Horner rode a patient race early before taking the race by the scruff of the neck when glamour chaser and $2.25 favourite Stern Idol started to show signs of distress under his 73kg around 800m from home.
The Good Fight, a $9.50 chance who carried 64kg, raced away for a 25-length win over Leaderboard ($10) with Rockstar Ronnie ($11) the same margin away third.
Port Guillaume, the well-backed $4.20 second favourite, was the only other horse to complete the course with Stern Idol one of three horses who were pulled up.
Mighty Oasis fell, with Bell Ex One, Sky Hero, Blood And Sand and Dr Dependable either brought down or losing their riders.
Lee Horner, who rode Sky Hero, was transported to hospital with a head injury with Will Gordon, rider of Bell Ex One, also off to hospital with a suspected shoulder injury.
The victory completed a 2024 Grand double for Horner, who also won the Grand Annual Steeplechase aboard outsider Count Zero, and he was thrilled to do it aboard a horse he has quickly developed an affinity with.
"This horse, right from when I first sat on him I've liked him," Horner said.
"He really makes you work for your keep. Jumping the last two, I felt I was empty and going up and down on the one spot, but I never realised how far I was in front I was.
"I can't believe it, it's absolutely fantastic."
The Grand National Steeplechase was one of two feature jumps events at Ballarat on Sunday with the J J Houlahan Hurdle seeing the Patrick Payne-trained, Aaron Kuru-ridden The Cunning Fox make it three wins on end to start his jumping career with a gritty win over Point Nepean.
