Laing’s hurdles triumph

By Stuart Teather
ROBBIE Laing stole the show at Sandown’s biggest jumps racing day, winning the Grand National Hurdle with Desert Master.
The Clyde trainer picked up his third major jumps race of the season, following wins in the Australian Steeplechase (Mazzacano) and the Grand Annual Steeplechase (Sir Pentire) earlier in the year.
Desert Master, with Adam Trinder on board, held off a fast-finishing Juan Carlos, charging away in the final straight to record a memorable win in the $200,000 race.
Laing later said he was confident about his chances after Desert Master’s second placing behind Black and Bent in the Lachal Hurdle two weeks previous.
“He was narrowly beaten into second the other day after two months away from the hurdles and he raced a bit fresh,” Laing said.
“He’s still learning but he’s a very, very tough stayer.”
Laing almost completed the ultimate double on the day with Sir Pentire running second in the $200,000 Grand National Steeplechase, behind the all-conquering Pentiffic.
Fran Houlahan’s star jumper was too good for the rest of the field, powering away at the 800-metre mark to claim a five-length win ahead of Sir Pentire, with Mt Townsend in third.
Pentiffic’s jockey, Trent Wells, said the horse could be on its way to Japan to contest the world’s richest jumps race, the Nakyama Grand Jump.
“I ordered my passport a couple of weeks ago and it looks like I’ll need it more than ever now,” he beamed.
Houlahan had another reason to celebrate this week with Pentiffic also claiming the Champion Jumper category in the Australian Racehorse of the Year awards.
Meanwhile, Pakenham trainer Matt Leek claimed his first ever feature race, winning the $100,000 J.J. Houlahan Hurdle with Big Noise.
Starting at $11, Big Noise – a bargain buy for Leek at $6000 – was an outsider in the field but he overshadowed his more fancied rivals, powering away towards the end of the race.
Big Noise has since provided Leek with his first win, his first provincial win, his first city win and now his first feature win, for a total prize pool in excess of $140,000.