The highlight of the week was undoubtably the fantastic success of Papillon in the Aintree Grand National.
Backed from 33/1 on the morning of the race down to a starting price of 10/1, the gelding laid to rest the ghosts of his narrow defeat at the hands of Bobbyjo in the 1998 Irish equivalent.
Papillon`s form had taken a nose dive this season, and anyone who witnessed the manner in which he downed tools at Naas in February would have found it hard to get involved in the gamble.
The Walsh family never lost faith in his ability and were justly rewarded with the ultimate prize in jump racing.
Ruby Walsh`s vintage performance aboard Papillon was made all the sweeter by the fact that he had spent much of this season on the sidelines through injury.
The twenty year old reigning champion was having his first ride in the great race and this victory is sure to spring-board his career to even greater heights.
It was a quiet week on the home front with only two meetings.
Leading ladyrider Aileen Sloane-Lee fell foul of the stewards at Wexford on Saturday. She had taken bookings to ride two horses in the Bewleys Hotel Ladies Hurdle. Both trainers, Sean Treacy and Michael Hourigan, were adamant that she should ride their charges, but something had to give. After much to-ing and fro-ing she rode Landford Lad (3rd) for Treacy and with no suitable replacement for Hourigan`s Discerning Air, she was withdrawn. Sloane-Lee escaped with a fine.
Giant`s Causeway kept his 2000 Guineas aspirations alive with victory in the Gladness Stakes (Group 3) at The Curragh on Sunday.
The son of Storm Cat is now unbeaten in four starts but did little to enhance his reputation with a workmanlike performance.
Dermot Weld`s blistering start to the season continued with another double. It could so easily have been a treble but the well supported Last Call was hampered by a stable-companion (Copper Express) just as he was about to deliver his challenge. Weld is sure to rue the decision to run three in this maiden, especially as the Pat Shanahan ridden Pine Dance went into many notebooks with an eye-catching display.
Vincent Finegan
