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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Where It All Began puts in a strong staying effort in National Trial

Sun 18th Feb 2024, 17:33

Where It All Began leads over the lastWhere It All Began leads over the last
© Photo Healy Racing

Where It All Began stayed on stoutly to overturn the 5/4 favourite We'llhavewan in the Quinnbet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown.

With Paul Townend getting down to a very light weight (put up 2lb overweight at 10-2) on We'llhavewan, who was running off a 21lb lower mark over fences than hurdles, punters latched onto Willie Mullins' charge and sent him off the short-priced 'jolly' in this 15-runner stamina test.

It looked good for favourite backers as We'llhavewan led after two out and set sail for home into the straight.

However, third-running Where It All Began (10/1) made relentless headway for Jack Kennedy and collared We'llhavewan just before the last.

He jumped it better than the favourite and powered home along the run-in to score by a widening 16 lengths from We'llhavewan who had no answers. Clonmeen was another five lengths back in third at 10/1.

Kennedy said: “He jumped great and never missed a beat the whole way.

“It probably looked turning in that I was going to finish third, but stamina really kicked in when we straightened up. I’m delighted with him.

“He’s not reliant on heavy ground, just a test of stamina is what he wants.

“He’d been running well and threatened to do something like that.

“That’s as light as I’d go (10st 5lb).”

Gordon Elliott added: “He could go for the Kim Muir at Cheltenham or an Irish National. It was a good performance and he stays really well.”

This gave Elliott his third National Trial in a row following on from victories by Death Duty and Coko Beach.

Paddy Power cut Where It All Began from 200/1 to 50/1 for the Grand National.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.