Golden day for Lord Lariat at Fairyhouse as cheap sales purchase scoops huge pot

Lord Lariat provided his unheralded sire Golden Lariat with the biggest win of his career with victory in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Lightning did indeed struck twice at the County Meath track for trainer Dermot McLoughlin, who celebrated back-to-back successes in the Easter showpiece with outsiders by lesser-known stallions.

A year ago it was Freewheelin Dylan and Curtain Time in the spotlight and 12 months on from that 150-1 shock, McLoughlin trained Lord Lariat to win at the much shorter odds of 40-1.

The seven-year-old was bred by Donal Blake out of the three-time winning pointer Johnny's Pride, by Mister Lord. He was offered by Firhill Stables as a yearling at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale, where he failed to find a buyer at just €2,800.

He returned to the sales ring, which is across the road from the Fairyhouse track, for the August National Hunt Sale as a store and made €5,500 to PJ Casey who owns Lord Lariat with Pat Blake. The first prize for Ireland's most valuable jumps race on Monday was €270,000.

Under his third dam are the Grade 3-winning hurdler McGruders Cross and the Grade 2-placed Scoir Mear, who was unplaced in a handicap hurdle earlier in the afternoon at Fairyhouse.

Golden Lariat stands at Tim Carey's Tullaghansleek Stud in Westmeath, which caters for both the thoroughbred and sport horse sectors.

A son of the great Mr Prospector, Golden Lariat was bred by the late Maktoum Al Maktoum in Kentucky and was trained by Sir Michael Stoute to win twice. He is a half-brother to Listed winner and Dubai Sheema Classic second Razkalla.

As a sire, Golden Lariat's most successful performers prior to Lord Lariat's Fairyhouse victory were Dingo Dollar, who was second in the Scottish Grand National, and Take All, second to Riviere D'Etel in the Grade 3 Klairon Davis Chase at Navan earlier this season.

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