Bluesea cracks Irish National

The small-time Cork trainer had been without a victory over fences this season – but it came in one of the biggest National Hunt contests of the Irish calendar.

The three-mile five-furlong heat was run at a crawl for the first couple of miles owing to the seriously testing conditions, but there were still plenty of casualties.

Among them were favourite Saddlers Storm, leading fancy Telenor, British raider Double Dizzy and top-weight Siegemaster, who was in the process of running a fine race before tipping up at the final fence.

Bluesea Cracker (25-1) was well to the fore as the field rounded the turn for home for the final time. She was wandering around on the run to the last but Andrew McNamara's mount had enough in reserve to repel the challenge of Oscar Time by four-and-a-half lengths and become the first mare to land this prize since Ebony Jane in 1993.

Whatuthink was third, with Cheltenham cross-country winner A New Story fourth.

"I can't believe it. She's been a fantastic mare for us," said Motherway. "I walked the track at 12pm and was worried about getting home in the ground. I skipped a heartbeat going to the last but then jumped six feet into the air after it.

"We found that she has been far more settled this year and if she was ever going to go for an Irish National it was this season."

McNamara said: "In the straight I gave her a squeeze and she quickened up well. Going to the last she ran around a bit and I dropped my stick trying to get two hands on the rein."

Meanwhile, Madison Du Berlais heads 65 entries for Saturday's John Smith's Grand National at Aintree following the confirmation stage.

A total of ten horses have been removed, including previous joint-top-weight Notre Pere, the Willie Mullins trio of Deutschland, Dooneys Gate and Equus Maximus and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Razor Royale. The withdrawals mean the likes of the much-touted The Package, Hello Bud and Palypso De Creek are now guaranteed a run.