Highland Blaze Wins $250,000 Grand National Hurdle

Tara Madgwick - Sunday August 3

Jumps racing was the highlight at Sandown Lakeside on Sunday with the $250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) the highlight and the $100,000 Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) offering a great start to the day.

Stern Idol (IRE) and sky - image Grant Courtney

Australia’s champion trainer for 2024/2025 was Ciaron Maher and he combined with Steve Pateman to win the Crisp Steeplechase with seasoned campaigner Stern Idol (IRE).

Stepped up to the bigger jumps this year, he has welcomed the challenge to win by 15 lengths and has now won 16 of 37 starts.

Advertisement

Stern Idol has won his last four starts in row and winning rider Steve Pateman says he has never felt better.

A nine year-old Irish bred gelding by Raven’s Pass that came to Australia in 2021 following some early racing in France that produced two wins and some pretty handy efforts in hurdle races, Stern Idol has soared to new heights in his new home.

Carrying the colours of his Australian owner and breeder Gerry Ryan, who races him in partnership with a bunch of close mates, Stern Idol is the best of three winners from Authorized mare Screen Icon (IRE), an unplaced full sister to imported stayer Signoff (IRE), who won multiple Group staying races in Australia for Gerry Ryan and partners.

Screen Icon is now also in Australia and arrived in foal to high class sire Night of Thunder with a colt from that mating now an unnamed four year-old.

She has unnamed fillies to follow by Too Darn Hot (GB) and Lucky Vega (IRE) and lost a foal born deceased last year.

Trainer Shane Jackson and his family were overwhelmed with joy when their six year-old Highland Reel (IRE) gelding Highland Blaze led all the way to win the GN Hurdle taking his overall record to eight wins and 13 placings from 40 starts with prizemoney topping $522,000.

Highland Blaze led all the way to win - image Grant Courtney

Ridden by Jordan Hart, Highland Blaze seized the opportunity when short-priced favourite The Cunning Fox was under hard riding with 1600m to go and lost his spot before being pulled up. Racing Victoria stewards reported The Cunning Fox had suffered cardiac arrhythmia.

Highland Blaze was a handy flat stayer that contested the Victoria Derby won by Manzoice and later that season he was second in the Listed VRC St Leger.

His victory was an emotional one for Shane Jackson and his family.

By champion Galileo’s six time G1 winner Highland Blaze, who shuttled to Victoria for five seasons, Highland Blaze is the best of three winners from metro winning Clangalang mare Bells of Troy.

Advertisment

Race Result - Ecycle Solutions Grand National Hrdl 4200m

Sandown-Lakeside Track: Soft(5) Time: 5:10.32
1
Highland Blaze
- 6g Highland Reel (IRE) x Bells Of Troy (AUS) (Clangalang (AUS))
Tnr: Shane Jackson Rdr: Jordan Hart 64
2
5
Affluential
- 7g Zed (NZ) x Opulence (NZ) (Danroad (AUS))
Tnr: J Leek Jnr Rdr: W Gordon 66.5
NZB Karaka Book 1 $140,000
Seller: Grangewilliam Stud
Buyer: John Chalmers Bloodstock Services
3
5.2
Right Now
- 7g Wrote (IRE) x Max Facta (NZ) (Golan (IRE))
Tnr: S B Laming Rdr: A Lynch 64.5
4
8.9
Loft
- 8g Adlerflug (GER) x Labrice (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: Shane Jackson Rdr: S Flanagan 64
5
20.9
The Mighty Spar
- 8g Savabeel (AUS) x O'dianne (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: William Mc Carthy 66.5
6
35.9
Vadarchie
- 7g Vadamos (FR) x Strictly Time (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Aaron Laing Rdr: Cillin Leonard 64
More Reading...
Everest Runner/New G1 Horse for Hellbent as Invincible Legacy Surges
Hellbent has made a solid start to the new season with 25 winners racking up over $2million in earnings and he will have a runner in the $20million The Everest in two weeks time with Magic Time confirmed for the Inglis slot, while at Randwick last Saturday he added another G1 performer to his tally.
One to Watch - Warwick Farm
Tassort produced an impressive winner at Warwick Farm on Monday carrying the Trilogy Racing colours that looks well up to a far better grade than this public holiday Monday meeting.
Kiwi Bred War Machine Secures Everest Slot
The NZB Ready to Run Sale is never short of graduates flying the flag on Group One stages in Australia. With the 2025 edition at Karaka now less than six weeks away, War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) has put his hand up to continue that trend this spring.
Sires With Winners - Monday October 6
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Sea the Stars colt Daryz.
Rising HK Star for Embellish
Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish.
One for the Pedigree Nerds!
A blueblood stallion by Frankel that cost 1.3million guineas and a 3YO gelding by I Am Immortal that cost $14,000 – what could they possibly have in common other than both winning Group races at Flemington on Saturday.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Tara Talks Racing – John Kelly of Newhaven Park Our Guest
Newhaven Park Stud is a family run farm on the south west slopes of NSW that has been producing thoroughbreds for a century and the Kelly family have bred many champions and now Autumn Glow has added her name to their hall of fame.
Shamus Award Mare Chasing Another G1
Adverse weather has forced multiple Group One winner Quintessa to take an unorthodox route to next Saturday’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), with the mare appearing at the Awapuni trials on Monday afternoon.