FAR HILLS, N.J.--In a thrilling finish, the Irish invader Western Fold (Ire) just nipped Fil Dor (Fr) at the wire to win the $300,000, G1 American Grand National Hurdle Stakes on Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Far Hills steeplechase meet.  

Western Fold nips Fil Dor in the Grand National. You can just see Fil Dor's grey nose behind Western Fold (Photo by Tod Marks)Western Fold, owned by Weldspec Glascow, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Jack Kennedy, won the 2 5/8 miles Stakes by a scant nose over Del Rio Racing's Fil Dor, trained by Ricky Hendriks and ridden by Conor Tierney, with Zanahiyr (Ire), also trained by Elliott, third.

Irish champion trainer Elliott again dominated Far Hills, as he did last year, this year saddling the winners of the two biggest stakes on the card.

But Hendriks had an extremely good day, with the horses he saddled placing second in the two biggest stakes and winning the third biggest stakes.

"We had a big day," said Hendriks. "It almost was a huge day."

Elliott also saddled Del Rio Racing's Lizzie Twigg (Ire) to win the $150,000 Foxbrook Champion Novice Hurdle Stakes by 9 1/4 lengths over Lynches Knock (Ire), trained by Hendriks, with Vae Patron (Fr), trained by Keri Brion, third.

 

ALONG WITH the two stakes seconds, Hendriks also saddled Del Rio Racing's Blue Waters (Ire) to win the $100,000 Peacock Filly and Mare Hurdle Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths over Timetoshine (Fr), trained by Mark Beecher, and Path to Victory, trained by Lillith Bpucher.

Not only did Hendriks win a Stakes and place second in two other Stakes, three of the most financially rewarding stakes on the steeplechase calendar. he also is now the new trainer of three of the horses Elliott brought over from Ireland to race at Far Hills.

The three, owned by Del Rio Racing, are Lizzy Twigg, the winner of the Mare Stakes, Porcupine, who, because his saddle slipped in race one didn't finish, and San Hilario (Fr), second in the Maiden Hurdle Stakes.

"It was a really exciting day," said Hendriks. "I rode in pony races here, and I rode here as a jockey, and now I'm here as a trainer, so I've been coming to this meet for a long time."

"Blue Waters was enjoying the softer ground," said Hendriks of the going after a night of rain right before the races."We knew if Blue Waters liked it that Fil Dor would really love it."

"Fil Dor ran a super race," Hendriks said. "He'd been training really well. I didn't think there'd be much pace in the race so Conor and I discussed it, and we decided to put him in the lead and see what happened."

Fil Dor led throughout the race and was just nipped in literally the very last stride by Western Fold at the wire.

Fil Dor has now placed twice second and once third and once fourth in stakes this year.

"He'll go to the Colonial Cup next," said Hendriks.

"We knew Lynches Knock was in tough against Lizzie Twigg," he said. "We were pleased with his effort. We'll run him right back at the Gold Cup in an allowance."

Keri Brion saddled July Cavalry Racing and AJ Suited Racing Stable's Noble Factor, ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, to win the $150,000, 2 mile turf flat race by 6 1/2 lengths over Kiamba (Ire), trained by Miguel Clemant, and Without (Ire), trained by Tom Garner. 

Even though this was a steeplechase meet, the $150,000 purse drew a number of top flat trainers, including Graham Motion and Michael Matz.

"We did think our lad would do well with the soft ground," said Mulqueen. "Plus, the flat horses were stepping up a half mile in distance."

Todd McKenna saddled two winners, both owned by Keystone Thoroughbreds.

Max Attack, ridden by Freddie Procter, won the $75,000, 2 1/8 mile Four-Year-Old Hurdle Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths over Pudding Lane, trained by Kate Dalton, and Pleasant Fantasy, also trained by Dalton, and I Found My Jet (Ire), ridden by Graham Watters, won the $64,000 Maiden Hurdle Stakes by 3 lengths over San Hilario (Fr), trained by Elliott, and Lost In the Dream, trained by Mark Beecher.

"Max Attack made his first start just a few weeks ago, and he did it so easily we thought to just step him up," said McKenna, :He's young. He made one start in Ireland before I bought him, so this is just his third start."