Shane Anderton wrote another chapter in his family's proud record in the Grand National Hurdles yesterday, with his victory aboard Narousa.
Anderton's grandfather, Hector, won the Grand National Hurdles in 1945 with Arabian Night and his father Brian, when training on his own, won twice with Bymai (1980) and Lord Venture
(1986).
Shane Anderton's win broke a frustrating run of placings.
In his seven previous rides in the race at Riccarton Park he recorded two seconds, a third, a fourth and a fifth.
Anderton expressed relief after yesterday's win.
"I've been trying for a long time and I've finally got it," he said.
Narousa, co-trained by Shane and Brian Anderton, is a seven-year-old gelding by Khozaam and is only lightly tried as a hurdler.
He went into the race with a hurdling record of two wins and a placing from four starts.
Shane Anderton handled him patiently over the 4200m yesterday, settling back in the nine-horse field.
Narousa had improved to be third when the pressure went on about 1000m from the finish and was in front approaching the last fence. Montacute was the only challenger but Narousa comfortably cleared the last and won by 7 1/2 lengths.
- NZPA
