Grand National 2024 – Its On The Line wins over the big Aintree fences

Its On The Line (3-1 favourite) went one better than at Cheltenham lastm month to grab victory over the famous Aintree in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase on the opening day.

In the first race run over the big obstacles on day one of the 2024 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse the well-backed favourite, under leading amateur rider Derke O'Connor. Its On The Line has been second to Sine Nomine in the St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival when also sent off favourite. But back down in trip to 2m5f, he got his head in front this time.

In the famous green and gold colours of powerful Irish owner JP McManus, who has won the Grand National twice with Don't Push It (2010) and Minella Times (2021), the eight-year-old was always travelling and jumping well just off the pace set mostly by Dan Skelton's Benny's King (8-1). But as they came to the final fence, It's On The Line was always closing on the leader. Coming to the Elbow there as three in a line, but whereas Its On The Line (8-1) was powering home and Bennys King was battling, Time Leader was beginning to tire. Its On The Line bounded clear and came home four-and-a-quarter-lengths clear of Bennys King with the staying on Annamix (5-1), for the Willie Mullins stable.

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Emmet Mullins – who saddles new top weight and 2022 Aintree hero Noble Yeats in the Grand National on Saturday – said: “He has got ability and Derek (O’Connor) is good and persistent on him, and he gets everything out of him. I suppose we were thankful of the loose horses out there today as he had a bit of company and he was able to stretch out and go away, and he has done it well to the finish.

“He is not a natural leader by any stretch, and he likes to suss out things, and get into a rhythm, and figure it out. He is well named I think. I probably wasn’t planning this race after Cheltenham. We gave him a speculative entry and once it turned up heavy ground it was always going to bring stamina into play. That was the biggest sway into running him. He takes his races very well and last season he turned up at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. He has a great constitution. I’d say he will stay hunter chasing. It is great to come to these meetings with a horse that has a big chance. Fingers crossed he will keep doing the business. He will definitely get an entry for Punchestown, but we will see how the horse is and he will tell us how he is. We will leave the door open for him.”

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Winning jockey O'Connor, who won the Foxhunters' Chase on Balnaslow in 2018, added: "Derek O’Connor said: “They went a ferocious gallop and he was really off the bridle, but the one thing he does is run and jump, and he kept jumping his way all the way. He is game; he got a little bit of stick after Cheltenham, and he lacks that bit of class to travel in a race, but he puts it all in when it comes down to it, and he did that today.

“He likes to have company as well and horses to chase, and thankfully – I hope the riders are ok – but thankfully there were two loose horses there and they brought him all the way to the line, which was a help. I was quietly confident [at two fences out]! I thought he had had a good round of jumping, he handles the conditions, and because they’d gone such a strong pace I felt they were going to tire at some stage and that they had to come back to me, as opposed to me going to them, so it worked out perfectly.

“He’d stay the National trip [in future] and he loves the jumps. I got a great ride off him last year; he was slow over the first couple of fences and then his confidence was getting better. He actually fell because he got overconfident – he stood off Becher’s Brook too far and just hit the back of it, so the jumping was never going to be a bother today. He loves the fences and appreciates the track, so, you never know. And Emmett is a genius. It’s a privilege to ride in these colours and to be associated with the McManus team. I’m in a great position.”

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Dan Skelton, trainer of runner-up Bennys King, said: “He is an absolutely fantastic horse. I remember being stood here last year saying I’m not sure he will make it back here next year. I will probably be stood here now saying I’m not sure he will make it back next year, but who knows. He has just been a phenomenal horse that loves life. He was a bit slow to get going in the early part of the season. He hit some soft ground. He loves it in hunter chase races where they go that bit slower, and he loves those fences. It is a shame he is getting older as I would love him to be around a little longer. I saw him (It’s On The Line) coming across the Melling Road, and when you have got one with Derek O’Connor sneaking away like that he is a pleasure to watch, even when he is beating you.”

Paul Nicholls' Sans Bruit (5-1) won the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase under Bryony Frost. The six-year-old beat the 9-2 favourite Saint Roi, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Mark Walsh, by four lengths. Path D'Oroux (15-2) was a further seven lengths back in third.

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