Nick rockets to near National favouritism in Bobbyjo victory

Nick Rockett is as low as 8-1 second-favourite for the Randox Grand National following victory in the Follow @ToteRacing On Twitter Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse.

The absence of last year’s Grand National hero I Am Maximus due to an infection removed a layer of interest from the Grade Three contest and Paul Townend switched to fellow Willie Mullins inmate Nick Rockett following the withdrawal of his original mount.

Sent off the 5-6 favourite, Townend was happy to sit close to Intense Raffles as he set out to make all, and the pair were still disputing it with three fences to jump.

They met the last obstacle almost level but Nick Rockett had too much in reserve for the game Intense Raffles, who was conceding 3lb, edging a three-quarter-length victory.

Betfair chopped Nick Rockett’s Aintree odds to 8-1, leaving him behind only Inothewayurthinkin in the market for the Aintree spectacular on April 5.

Nick Rockett was winning his second National trial having landed the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran last month, with Mullins’ sights now set on a recovery period before heading to Liverpool.

“I thought it was a nice performance, beating an Irish National winner in the process, and it was a nice trial for Aintree. I’m very pleased with him,” said Mullins.

“It was tough coming back from the Thyestes only four and a bit weeks before. That was tough and should leave him spot on for Aintree.

“They were very tough conditions there and he’ll probably take a little while to recover from that, but he has the time.

“I was very impressed with how slick he jumped, his jumping was excellent.”

Nick Rockett was beaten 30 lengths by Intense Raffles when only seventh in the Irish National last season, but Mullins thinks Aintree could be more his speed.

He added: “We aimed him for the Irish National last year but it didn’t work.

“He’s a horse I think has the potential to run well around Aintree. Bobbyjo winners have been lucky around there.

“We just need to get there and have a bit of luck in running.”

The Closutton trainer has a clutch of National contenders, including I Am Maximus, which leaves Townend – who would have ridden I Am Maximus had he taken his Bobbyjo chance – with a potentially tough choice in the coming weeks.

Mullins said: “We won’t have to make any of those choices yet, but it would be very hard to get off last year’s winner with the way he handled the track.”

Of the absent I Am Maximus, he added: “He’ll be all right, it just happened on the wrong day for him.

“It could be a blessing in disguise for him, not carrying that weight around today on the ground. We won’t know until Aintree.”

Mullins and Townend were also on the mark with Spindleberry in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Colreevy Mares Novice Chase.

Having just her second chase outing in the Listed affair, the 8-11 favourite made the most of a hefty pull in the weights with Bioluminescence to run out a cosy six-and-a-half-length winner.

A number of bookmakers cut her odds for the Cheltenham Festival, but Mullins – who also won the concluding bumper with Kaiser Ball (11-2) – is inclined to wait for a Grade One assignment at Easter instead.

He said: “She was very impressive for only her second run over fences, taking on an experienced mare like Bioluminescence.

“I’m very pleased. I loved the turn of foot she showed between the last two to put the race to bed and then under pressure to throw in a good jump at the last.

“For a mare with only one run over fences, I thought it was a hell of a run in a Listed chase.

“We’ll look at the WillowWarm Gold Cup, the Grade One for novices, here at Easter. She seems to like this track.

“She’s entered at Cheltenham, but that might just come a bit soon after today.”