The 10yo gelding San Remo (IRE) is unlikely to make the first page of Frankel’s best, but what a fantastic performer he has been for connections who were out in force to celebrate his victory in Sunday’s $300,000 Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown-Lakeside.
The former Ballydolyle inmate arrived in Australia with just a win at Dundalk in 2017 to his name in nine starts.
Archie Alexander took up the torch in Australia. It took nine starts for San Remo to break his duck in his adopted homeland when he was successful at Cranbourne in December 2018.
It was a further six starts for his second, which came at Stawell in April 2019, by which time he was in the stables of Dane Smith.
Lining up for his 82nd start in the Grand National Hurdle, San Remo looked a spent force when left flat-footed, but Aaron Kuru picked him up to overpower the leader Count Zero (Zed) by two lengths with Bedford (Tavistock) one and a quarter lengths back in third.
The bluest of bluebloods, San Remo advances his record to eleven wins, five seconds, and twelve thirds from 82 starts with earnings of $536,567.
Bred by Barrondtown Stud, San Remo is a half-brother to Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Group 1 Prix de la Foret winner Make Believe (Makfi) (sire of French Derby winner Mishriff), and the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon Stakes and Grade 1 Gamely Stakes heroine Dubawi Heights (Dubawi).
They are out of the Suave Dancer mare Rosie’s Posy, a half-sister to the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup winner Tante Rose (Barathea).
