Sean Houlihan shines as 20-1 Kap Vert strikes in Scottish Grand National

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Seven days on from near-total domination of the Grand National by one of the richest men in the game, Kap Vert struck a blow for the smaller owner by giving ten folk from Somerset the greatest day of their racing lives.

Money followed money at Aintree, where multiple champion JP McManus had first, second and fourth in the world's most famous chase and is widely thought to have been the person who collected on a £100,000 bet on winner I Am Maximus.

There is no such financial muscle behind the If The Kap Fits syndicate, all local to the yard of Philip Hobbs and Johnson White.

It was a stroke of luck that the six-year-old came into their possession, as he was sold privately by Ronnie Bartlett after finishing seventh over hurdles for that leading owner at Punchestown in spring of last year.

He was switched to chasing this term and won a couple of times under Sean Houlihan at Taunton.

The partnership were dismissive 20-1 shots as they stepped up significantly in class and distance here, in a race for which Bartlett's Kim Roque started 4-1 favourite.

Yet not even what was thought to be unsuitably soft ground could stop them coming out on top again, with Houlihan coolly delaying his challenge but coming through to win by a length and a half from Git Maker, with Kim Roque just a nose further back in third.

"This means more than I could ever imagine," said Phil Ghazala, part of the winning syndicate.

He is a showjumping commentator who got back from the World Cup Finals in Texas only on Tuesday, and he said: "I said to Philip Hobbs when we got involved with this horse that if he won round Newton Abbot or Taunton, I'd be very happy. This is a different level and it's a dream.

Kap Vert and connections in the winner's enclosureCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"We came here thinking, 'What are we doing?', because of the ground and the trip. But Sean gave him a really cool ride, he just sat and waited and waited."

Houlihan is clearly a rider to note in Scotland, having won the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso on Captain Hugo in February.

But he was not always happy through the race and said: "Early on I got shuffled back and I wasn't happy on the ground. But as soon as I moved him out passing the winning line first time he came alive and jumped his way into position.

"He got into a lovely rhythm, he travelled and he jumped. There was a slight scare four out when Sam Twiston-Davies jumped across me but from there on in it was just keeping your cool, counting to ten. I saw the furlong pole and thought, 'Right, you can give me all for a furlong', and he did. He's very genuine."

There were no hard feelings from the former owner, as White revealed: "Mr Bartlett was very magnanimous, he was the first to come over and give us massive congratulations.

The start of the 2026 Scottish Grand NationalCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"I'm over the moon. We didn't come here thinking he didn't have any chance, but there were a lot of unknowns about Kap Vert today: the distance, the ground and going left-handed. But he's ticked all the boxes with admirable credit.

"He's done everything right this season, he's always jumped with amazing efficiency. He just flicks over the fences."

The future could be bright for Kap Vert, who has run in only five chases.

"This opens a lot of nice avenues for next season," White said. "We've got lots of dreaming to do. It's been a phenomenal journey with him so far and I don't think the journey is over yet."