‘This is a great tonic’ – emotional Scottish National win for Kitty’s Light after trainer’s daughter leukaemia diagnosis
IF there is a bottom to Kitty’s Light, we ain’t found it yet.
Christian Williams’ staying star bagged another huge prize when powering to victory in the four-mile Coral Scottish Grand National.
PAJack Tudor was over the moon after bagging the Scottish Grand National[/caption]
We probably use the phrase ‘stays all day’ too much in this game – but I don’t think there is a trip that would be too far for the seven-year-old.
Indeed, it looked like he had just joined-in with three to jump, and if the race was over 40 miles you’d fancy him to get home with ease.
He even gave the final fence a good whack under Jack Tudor with the brave runner-up Cooper’s Cross breathing down his neck.
But Kitty is as agile as a cat and found the landing gear when he needed it before going clear by three lengths in the final 100 yards as the 4-1 joint favourite, just as he did in the Eider Chase in February.
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These big wins mean plenty to trainers like Christian Williams, who don’t have anywhere near the same sort of firepower as the big boys.
But this one meant even more than usual, with Williams’ five-year-old daughter, Betsy, recently diagnosed with leukaemia.
The emotion of the moment was written all over the trainer’s face, and that of winning jockey Tudor.
Horse racing isn’t perfect and real-life problems are certainly more important – but this sport isn’t half good for the soul at times like these.
Williams said: “It’s brilliant, he’s a very important horse and we have a big battle at home going on with my daughter, but this horse and this result will cheer everyone up.
“I’m very lucky to have an amazing team behind me at home, it will be a great tonic for everyone and I can’t wait to get home and see my children.
“He has been a star for us, he will gallop all day for you and you need horses like him to take you to the big days.”
There should be plenty more big days left in the tank, too, and with this victory the horse who cost just £5,000 has taken his career earnings past the £300,000 mark.
And what’s all the more remarkable is that he wasn’t bred for the job – he was born to race on the Flat.
Tudor said: “He is small and he is Flat-bred and he isn’t a brilliant jumper!
“But he is an absolute legend and he has been a joy to ride. He gave me a great spin around there today, though my heart was in my mouth at the last.
“This means an awful lot to all of us and to Christian and the whole family, his little girl has been really unwell.
“If Betsy can be as tough as Kitty’s Light she’ll be fine.”
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