Mouse Morris dreaming of more Grand National glory with Foxy Jacks

Highly-respected and popular trainer had come close on numerous occasions before he hit the heights eight years ago.

Mouse Morris has already been fortunate enough to win the Randox Grand National once with Rule The World in 2016. But that will not stop him dreaming of winning it again with Foxy Jacks.

Morris, known as a real target trainer and one of the most respected men in the game, had come close on numerous occasions before he hit the heights eight years ago.

Cahervillahow, who famously won a Whitbread Gold Cup but lost it in the stewards’ room, crossed the line second in 1993 but thankfully or not for connections that was the dreaded void race ‘won’ by Esha Ness.

Lastofthebrownies went close twice when fourth to Little Polveir and fifth to Mr Frisk while Attitude Adjuster also finished fifth behind Rhyme ‘N’ Reason in 1988.

As changes to the race began to be made at the turn of the century, though, Morris realised the requirements needed on the equine front had also changed.

Cahervillahow (left) finished second in the National that never was in 1993
Cahervillahow (left) finished second in the National that never was in 1993 (PA)

“We sent some very nice horses to Aintree back in the 1980s and 90s, horses like Attitude Adjuster and Lastofthebrownies, real old-fashioned three-mile chasers,” said Morris.

“Look at Cahervillahow, now he was a really good horse but he wasn’t a Grade One horse, he was a top-class handicapper that suited races like the Whitbread and the National.

“Nowadays you have to send a different type to Aintree.”

So that is what Morris did. In 2015 he ran his multiple Grade One winner First Lieutenant, who might not quite have been the force of old but was still a fine racehorse.

“First Lieutenant was one of the best I’ve had. He won a Grade One over hurdles at Cheltenham beating a Champion Hurdle winner (Rock On Ruby), was second in an RSA (now Broadway) and was second in a Ryanair as well as winning other good races,” he said.

First Lieutenant was a Grade One winner at Aintree for Morris and ran in the National twice
First Lieutenant was a Grade One winner at Aintree for Morris and ran in the National twice (Dave Thompson/PA)

“We ran him in it as a 10-year-old when he was just starting to struggle against the best, he made a couple of early mistakes and was on the back foot.”

The following year First Lieutenant was back for another go, joined by a stablemate who, despite running countless good races over fences, had incredibly yet to win one in 13 previous attempts.

Rule The World had finished second in the Irish National as a novice in 2015, but that was not out of the ordinary as novices do have a decent record in the Easter Monday Fairyhouse showpiece.

The following season a novice chase looked a formality but he kept on finding one or two too good and as both he and First Lieutenant were owned by Gigginstown House Stud, their retained jockey Bryan Cooper had a decision to make.

“I remember saying to Alastair Down (TV presenter and journalist) the night before I thought Bryan had picked the wrong one,” said Morris of Cooper’s decision to go for Rule The World.

“In fairness, he had won a Grade One at Aintree (the Bowl) on him so I suppose he was being loyal and it was hard to get off him.

“That didn’t meant I thought Rule The World was going to go and win, though. I thought he’d run well but he hadn’t won a race over fences before.”

Adding to Morris keeping his feet on the ground was the fact he had won the Irish National a month earlier with Rogue Angel and for a yard his size to win two of the biggest races of the season just did not happen.

All this emotion came on top of Morris tragically losing his eldest son Christopher (known as Tiffer) to carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Argentina the previous year.

After Rule The World, under David Mullins, had galloped to a 33-1 success Morris said: “We got a bit of help from somewhere. Tiffer was working overtime for me.”

Foxy Jacks has built up a good rapport with Gavin Brouder this season
Foxy Jacks has built up a good rapport with Gavin Brouder this season (David Davies/PA)

Reflecting on the win eight years later Morris said: “He’d always been a good horse but had his issues. He was Grade One class on his day.

“The race has changed now, you’ve got to have a bit of class about you, the old handicappers get left behind.

“I didn’t go there that day thinking he’d win, you can’t in a National, but I thought he had a chance of being in the money.”

This year’s contender from the yard, Foxy Jacks, has a different profile.

“If someone had told me this time last year Foxy Jacks would have 11st 3lb in a National I wouldn’t have believed it. I thought we’d have a job on to get him in the race.

“But he won the Midlands National at Kilbeggan in the summer and got hit hard for that and his big aim then was the Cross Country at Cheltenham in March so we took him there in November.

“He was poetry in motion that day, he absolutely loved it and while that was a handicap and the one in March is level weights, we were looking forward to it.

“He ran well over hurdles at Christmas but of course the Cross Country race was abandoned at Cheltenham. So, like a few of Gordon’s (Elliott, Delta Work, Coko Beach and Galvin) and Minella Indo, we are coming here fresh.

“Gavin Brouder gets a great tune out of him so he’ll ride him again. I can’t help thinking his handicap mark (157) is ridiculous but we’ll give it a crack anyway, the horse is in great form and has come right back to himself this year.”

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