Hello Bud to bid farewell with final run at Grand National

Published on Thursday 26 January 2012 02:49

Loveable veteran Hello Bud – winner of the 2009 Scottish Grand Nationa – is likely to make his final racecourse appearance in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April.

Despite having recently turned 14, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding has run two creditable races since the turn of the year, most recently finishing fifth in the Classic Chase at Warwick.

He was fifth in the 2010 Grand National and also won that year’s Becher Chase over the famous fences, giving owner Seamus Murphy hope that his pride and joy can end his racing career on an incredible high.

“He ran a very good race in Warwick and we’ve decided to go for the English Grand National with him,” said Murphy. “That will probably be his last run. He’ll have a bit of a break now and go straight to Aintree. He’s probably the most consistent jumper in the UK and he’s won the Becher Chase round the Aintree fences. I think if we got a bit of luck, he could win the National and there would be some party that night if he did.”

Meanwhile, Tony McCoy will make a gentle return to competitive action with one ride in the National Hunt Flat race at Warwick today.

The 16-times champion jockey has been sidelined since 30 December after fracturing his ribs and puncturing a lung in a crunching fall at Taunton.

After a specialist gave him the green light to return to action this week, McCoy eases his way back by partnering Nicky Henderson’s Key To The West at Warwick.

“I’ve been feeling good the last week or ten days. I went to see the doctor on Monday and he was very happy with all the scans, my ribs and my lung, so I’m pretty pleased,” said McCoy.

“I broke a few ribs at the back and a few at the front as well.

“For the first week I was easy enough to deal with as I wasn’t able to do a lot. For the last week or ten days I’ve been more agitated and looking forward to getting back. I would have liked to have come back sooner, but I wouldn’t have been able to. I punctured my lung and broke ribs and it was only just over three weeks ago.

“What worried me was, if I came back and I wasn’t physically able to take a heavy fall again, I’d end up missing a lot more. I’ve missed the last three or four Saturdays and the disappointing thing is, I haven’t missed a winner. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I don’t know if I should be happy or sad.”

At Musselburgh yesterday, Richard Fahey’s Ingleby Spirit easily won his duel with Donald McCain’s Absinthe in the Tom McConnell Trophy Novices’ Hurdle. The latter was sent off the 8-13 favourite, but Brian Hughes’ mount (15-8) took it up at the final flight and surged to a 16-length success on the run-in.

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