Colonel Harry back from the brink to conquer National fences in Grand Sefton

Jamie Snowden hailed the “incredible effort” of all his team after Colonel Harry bounced back from a life-threatening injury to win over the demanding Grand National course on his return to action.

The last time Colonel Harry ran, at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, could easily have been his last, but he was nursed back to full health and showed he retained all his class on a first attempt over the famous fences.

In a race packed with drama, Colonel Harry overcame a few scares in his jumping to charge home after the last under Gavin Sheehan. It was a fine ride and great training performance – and many others played their part.

“After he fell at Cheltenham he got a nasty infection in a back leg and had what Sir Gino had,” said Snowden. “He was in the hospital for two weeks and it was touch and go whether he was going to survive.

“All credit goes to the vets and the team to get him back and right first time out. It’s an incredible effort.”

Colonel Harry won a Grade 2 as a novice and was fancied for last season’s Coral Gold Cup when he led after four out, but failed to get home over the 3m2f trip. Snowden had wanted to run the GD Partnership-owned eight-year-old in last month’s Old Roan here as a prep for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but the ground was not soft enough. Cheltenham could still be on the agenda, but in the December Gold Cup instead.

“Back into handicap company, it was a cracking effort,” said Snowden, who won the Grand Sefton with Hogan’s Height six years ago.

“We’ve been waiting for softer ground and we thought we’d struggle to go straight to the Paddy Power. We schooled him over the National fences in Lambourn and he was electric, so we had a crack here and it’s all worked out.

“I’d say the plan would be to go to the December Gold Cup back at Cheltenham.”

Colonel Harry had plenty to do as he was pushed along by Sheehan after three out, but he galloped on strongly to finish two lengths in front of Gaboriot, who went one place better than last year, with Excello in third.

“It was a hell of a performance first time out carrying that weight [11st 12lb] and he was brilliant,” the jockey said. “I thought I was beat three out and the further we went, the better he was going. I put him on the floor at two jumps, but he’s well balanced and was low and accurate at most of them.”

Sheehan managed to avoid the two fallers at the Chair, but others weren’t so fortunate and their chances were gone early.

The low sun, which forced the omitting of hurdles in two races, appeared to have played a part and there were two further falls and one unseat, but all jockeys and horses were reported to be fine afterwards.

While the winner looks set for Cheltenham next, Gaboriot and Excello could meet again back at Aintree in next month’s Becher Chase.

Gaboriot’s joint-trainer Josh Guerriero said: “He loves it here and comes alive over the fences. We’ll have a look at the Becher now over the further distance.

“He was third in this last year and was favourite for the Becher before it was called off. It would be nice to have a crack at that.”