Racing: Al Garhood notches memorable double in Grand Annual

John Wheeler. Photo / Glenn Jeffreys

It almost seems inconsequential, but yesterday's A$150,000 Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool was won by local Al Garhood for the second year running.

The 11-year-old Zabeel gelding will never get the credit he's due, essentially because six of the eight runners either fell or were brought down.

As well, he was headed and looked beaten when his challenger, Plumtastic, fell two fences from the finish.

The race was like a three-act play.

With a lap of Warrnambool to travel only three of the eight horses remained in the famous race and patrons were scattered and injured when Taranaki jumper Banna Strand, running free after losing rider Rowan Waymouth early in the race, jumped into race patrons over a crowd barrier.

The fence Banna Strand jumped was nearly three metres high, considerably more substantial than anyone would have imagined would have been needed to keep a horse at bay.

Banna Strand at no stage looked like baulking and flew the obstacle, landing among a large spectator crowd and injuring a number of people.

New Zealand trainer John Wheeler trains Banna Strand and the $2.40 race favourite Petushki, who was brought down on the second lap.

Two weeks ago the pair produced a quinella result in the A$150,000 Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank in South Australia.

Wheeler had better luck at Te Rapa yesterday, winning three of the four jumping races on the programme.

Evathreestep won the maiden hurdle, veteran High Season won the open hurdle and Volkswagin saluted in the Rodger and Ken Browne Memorial Steeplechase, with stablemate Mali Juraj third.

In the other jumping event, a maiden steeple, the Wheeler runner, Sir Heelan, finished runnerup to Mr Align.