Racing: Cully wins feature double

Photo / Thinkstock

Irish hoop adds McGregor Grant title to Australian Steeplechase success on Saturday.

Irishman Richard Cully knew he owed trainer Ben Foote a favour when he went out on Amanood Lad in yesterday's $50,000 Chevalier Produce McGregor Grant Steeplechase at Ellerslie.

Earlier the Melbourne-based jumps jockey had beaten the Foote-trained Potheen in the maiden steeplechase.

Cully managed to get Marvon Downs home in the final 200m, after Potheen looked certain to win when six lengths clear and appearing to be travelling beautifully.

The irony of the result was that Ben Foote had agreed to be Cully's agent for the day's meeting after calling him in Australia to come over for the raceday.

Cully repaid in style. "That was a beautiful ride," said Foote after the hoop landed Amanood Lad home a winner in the big race of the day.

When you are the tallest jockey on any racecourse you have to keep busy. Cully managed that with energy. He wasted hard to ride Krase at 64kg to victory in Saturday's A$100,000 Australian Steeplechase in Melbourne, made the long drive to ride at Hamilton in Western Victoria on Sunday and dashed back into town to catch a midnight flight from Melbourne to Auckland.

"It was almost too tough. I reckon 64 shouldn't even be a number," he said.

To retain the energy to punch Amanood Lad out at the end of a tough 4150m McGregor Grant is quite remarkable.

This race is a big pointer to the jump game's holy grail, the Great Northern Steeplechase. Ben Foote wants to win the big one with a passion. As a jumps jockey he had only two rides in the race. Solar Rebel suffered a heart issue during the race and on the other occasion he finished second on Cool Conductor to Golden Flare, who was part owned by his father, Cedric.

Ben Foote knows he's on the right path to maybe claim the big race for himself.

"I was a little surprised how well he fought back to win today because I knew there was a touch of improvement in the horse," he said.

"The brilliant ride helped.

"I knew he was going to improve because I took particular notice of the field walking through the birdcage before the race and he was the only horse that had a little bit of belly on him."

Visitor Stainley took it to Amanood Lad on the hill the last time, looking likely to win for a long time.

He fought bravely to be only two lengths behind at the finish and is a contender for bigger honours.

Myths And Legends just doesn't know how to stop fighting. He ran bravely through the last 1600m to finish 3 lengths away third, defying the approaching 12 years of age.

Eric Watson was at Ellerslie yesterday and a stack of money went on to his juvenile Champagne Rein to say it could make a winning debut in the third race.

The Captain Rio youngster made a good fist of it leading until the last 175m, only to be run down by stablemate Scusa at the 150m.

Champagne Rein finished fourth, 2.8 lengths from Scusa and looked the type to win a race shortly.

"He needs a 1400m-type race," said co-trainer Graeme Rogerson of Scusa, and he got that in yesterday's testing conditions.