Seabass is in line for a crack at the John Smith’s Grand National after stretching his unbeaten run to seven in the paddypower.com Chase at Naas. The four-and-a-half-mile spectacular at Aintree may be a totally different test to this Grade Two contest over two miles — but trainer Ted Walsh believes it is worth a try.
And Walsh knows what it takes, having tasted National glory in 2000 with Papillon, who had finished fourth in this race in his glory season. Seabass had to show battling qualities, as well as a touch of class, when rallying in determined fashion to collar Zaarito close home by a length.
Sent off the 5-4 favourite, Seabass cut out the running with Saludos but Zaarito looked like he had timed his run to perfection when going on between the last two fences. However, Ruby Walsh got a tremendous late effort out of the nine-year-old to get up in the dying strides, much to the delight of his syndicate of owners, who hail from Co Galway.
“Seabass got under the last but was gutsy. He was out of his comfort zone over two miles and was going faster than he wanted to go, but battled well,” said the trainer. “Maybe some of the other horses weren’t as good as they used to be, but he was won €120,00 since he won his point to point and that’s not bad!
“If he stays sound, we’ll go to Aintree for the Grand National. There’s no ideal type of horse for that race, you won’t know until you get there. Nobody knows if he’ll get the trip, he’s never been beyond three miles, but I imagine looking at him he is the right type.
“However, the biggest problem is keeping him sound — he has been on the ‘scrap heap’ three times already.”
Walsh acknowledged that his son might be committed to a horse at Aintree trained either by Willie Mullins or Paul Nicholls, and he rode Prince De Beauchene to National favouritism at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
Should that be the case, Walsh senior would hand the ride to his daughter, Katie. He added: “The choice will be be Ruby‘s and he rides for Willie (Mullins) or Paul (Nicholls) but if for some reason they went by the wayside he might decide to ride this fellow. If he doesn’t, I have a very able substitute in Katie.”