Brungle Bertie delivered a blowout result when he realised a dream 12 months in the making for local trainer Henry Dwyer and owner/breeder Peter Balderstone in Sunday’s $400,000 Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat.
The eight-year-old recorded his first win since claiming the benchmark 120 steeplechase at the corresponding meeting last year when he carried Lee Horner to a fortuitous third win in the 4500-metre race, which was expected to be dominated by star import Stern Idol.
Heavily-backed to start $1.30 favourite, Stern Idol was unable to open up his customary big lead and was under pressure from the 800m before being pulled up jockey Willie Mccarthy before straightening.
“We said to Peter we could go this whole season without winning a race because he wasn’t going to be competitive in any race until we got to today,” Dwyer said of the plan to peak on Grand National day.
“When the rain didn’t come, we were really, really downbeat, but as it turns out he didn’t need the rain.
“Obviously the favourite didn’t run up to his best, but our bloke was just super.
“This horse is just an absolute favourite. He’s a gentle giant and we’re over the moon to win what is an absolutely iconic race at our home track.”
Brungle Bertie, who started $21, scored by 5-1/2 lengths from Bell Ex One ($13) with Castrofrancaru ($15) 1-1/4 lengths further back third.
The son of Canford Cliffs had Lee Horner aboard at Ballarat – as he did when fourth in the Crisp Steeplechase, when beaten 28 lengths by Stern Idol – with Dwyer forced to seek a new rider when Richard O’Donoghue was injured in a fall in July.
“My good mate Richie, he rode him at Warrnambool and he was set to ride him in these two races but he obviously got injured at the trials,” Horner said.
“Richie was supposed to ride him and I feel for him because he was the horse he needed to get to the features.”
The Grand National was the second time Stern Idol has failed to finish as a long-odds-on favourite this season, being pulled up in the Grand Annual Steeplechase, and while McCarthy said the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained star might have been feeling the effects of a big season.
“He’s done a good job, to be fair. Like Ciaron said, any horse that runs in an Annual is really not there at the end of the season, so he’s done well to win the Mosstrooper and Crisp in style and he’ll be back again next season.”