Irish raider Alphonse Le Grande storms to Vase victory

Tony Martin’s sister Cathy O’Leary saddled the winner.

Alphonse Le Grande finished with a flourish to ensure the Jenningsbet Festival Northumberland Vase went to Ireland for the second year in succession.

While a consolation race for the more prestigious and valuable Northumberland Plate, with a total prize fund of GBP 75,000 up for grabs, the two-mile contest is a competitive event in its own right.

Matthew Smith’s La Hacienda was victorious in last year’s renewal and 12 months on, Alphonse Le Grande was all the rage as the 3-1 favourite, as he looked to complete his hat-trick following spring triumphs at Dundalk and Chester for trainer Tony Martin.

With the County Meath handler currently serving a three-month suspension for breaking anti-doping rules, Alphonse Le Grande is now running under the name of his sister, Cathy O’Leary, and both were in attendance for his bid for big-race honours at Gosforth Park.

Show No Fear took the 14-strong line-up along for much of the two-mile journey and briefly looked to have slipped the field with a couple of furlongs to run, but Hollie Doyle never panicked in behind on the market leader, who was well on top as he passed the post with a length and a quarter in hand.

“He’s been working well and we’ve been very happy with him. He’s been doing everything right and it worked out well,” said O’Leary.

Hollie Doyle winning aboard Alphonse Le Grande at Newcastle
Hollie Doyle winning aboard Alphonse Le Grande at Newcastle (Steve Welsh/PA)

“Leading up to the race, we were hopeful, we thought he was in great form. Hollie is a great girl, we had Nina Carberry in Ireland and this girl is the same over here.

“I’m delighted for the boys that own him, there’s nothing better than to come over here and win a good handicap. They’re not Group horses or Classic horses, but to have them right on the day and win a pot like this is better than winning two or three little pots.”

Doyle added: “He’s a lovely horse, very tractable and he jumped better than I expected.

“The pace was slow, I managed to slot in, he relaxed well and the further I went, the better.

“I felt very confident, I was just trying to hold on to a bit before I went for him, but he was very genuine.”

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