Boiler wins Midlands National

Norman Williamson ended a frustrating week on a high as Irish raider The Bunny Boiler landed a gamble in a gruelling Marstons Pedigree Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter today.

The jockey drew a blank from 16 rides at the Cheltenham Festival, and is still upset that his mount Rhinestone Cowboy was not awarded the Weatherbys Champion Bumper after being bumped by the winner Pizarro in a controversial finish.

The stewards could not intervene this time as The Bunny Boiler, backed from a morning 8-1 into 5-1, sluiced up under Williamson - in place of Noel Meade`s stable jockey Paul Carberry who was injured in a fall at Cheltenham but phoned his deputy before the race.

His mount has a reputation as a modest jumper and had fallen with the Thyestes Chase at his mercy at Gowran Park in January.

But Williamson hunted him round for the first two of three circuits, produced the gelding to lead at the fourth-last fence and soon bounded clear.

Though The Bunny Boiler - named after an infamous scene from the film Fatal Attraction - went top his left at the last two obstacles he still had 20 lengths to spare over Mini Sensation at the line.

Scotton Green took third, with Ambleside last of four finishers as the very heavy ground took a severe toll on the 14-runner field.

Those pulled up included 9-2 favourite This is Serious and Tony McCoy`s mount Streamstown.

'It has been a very frustrating week,' Williamson admitted afterwards.

'I thought I should have got the Bumper in the stewards` room.

'I have come out of the week in one piece and I cant say too much against it as I was lucky to be riding there but I didn`t have a good week - but this makes up for a little bit of it.'

Reflecting on his mount`s jumping, the jockey added: 'Getting round was the problem - he probably nudged 10 or 15 fences but it went to plan. He has a nice high cruising speed and the plan was to drop him right out and basically ride him to get round.

'I made him go left at the last as I didn`t want him to fall and he needed another stride. He did well.'

Meade himself was at Punchestown but his partner Gillian O`Brien was on hand to greet the third Irish winner in this race in nine years.

'Paul Carberry rang Norman before the race and he is in Marbella so he can`t be too bad!' she said. 'He has torn the top of his hand and some ligaments and I am not sure how long he will be out.

'The Bunny Boiler was balloted out of the Kim Muir at Cheltenham but we thought he probably would be and this has been the plan for some time.'