Final Orders set for Aintree National bid

Ratoath men hoping to build on memorable Cheltenham experience

Those who are passionate about National Hunt racing all share one dream, to have a Cheltenham Festival winner.

Recently for two men from Ratoath, that dream became a reality. Simon Donnelly who owns a well-known strawberries business in the area and Johnny Kirwan, a local builder, were part of the CMD Syndicate that owned this year's Cheltenham Cross-Country winner Final Orders.

ITV and Racing TV both commented on the celebrations in the parade ring after Conor Stone Walsh practically made all on the Gavin Cromwell trained 10 year old in the race that has been quite kind to Meath connections over the last decade or so.

“The celebrations after were mental. We were leaping and cheering around the parade ring. It was absolutely mental. Between the second last and the last, you knew he was going to win so we were going mad! There was a huge contingent of us there celebrating,” said Donnelly.

“Conor Stone Walsh is a great young jockey and he gave the horse a fantastic ride. It was unreal. He niggled him up to the first, took the lead and never looked back. He was leading the whole way and jumped for fun in front.”

The Syndicate method is always a fantastic way to make racing more accessible for people who want to get involved in what is quite an expensive hobby. The CMD Syndicate have certainly got great value from their initial investment in to Final Orders.

“There are 10 in the Syndicate altogether. There are four lads from Carlow. Myself and Johnny (Kirwan) are from Ratoath. There are three from Dublin and then there is a Louth man as well. Kevin Barron is the main man. He set up the syndicate and asked Garvan (Donnelly) to source a dual-purpose horse,” said Donnelly.

“I think each of us only paid €2,000 at the time, which is very small money considering everything he has achieved. Keith (Donoghue) deserves a lot of credit as well and he plays a huge part in where he goes. Gavin, Keith and Garvan have been brilliant at placing him.”

In a post-race interview with ITV, Donnelly mentioned the absent Johnny Kirwan and joked that his “missus didn't give him permission to come”. Somewhere in Portugal, in a bar, Kirwan was laughing away and celebrating the big win.

“I was out in Portugal for it. I would always get very excited watching it but weirdly enough, before it was over, you already knew that he was not going to be beaten. I said that to my two sons who were watching it in a bar with me, there was no way he was going to be beaten from a long way out.” said Kirwan.“Someone asked me if I wished I was there and I said no, I would do the exact same thing again. I’m not a fan of crowds but it was a brilliant feeling all the same.”

Donnelly explained that the talented horse has always been very ground-dependent. After months of rain across the UK and Ireland, the ground dried up enough just in time for Final Orders to produce that magnificent run at Prestbury Park. However, the last time he was at the Festival in 2023, he was not so lucky.

“The ground had dried up a fair bit the week before Cheltenham and that was key for him. When he won the December cross-country, he got his nice ground and he hosed up. In his January run, it softened up a bit and it did not suit him at all. He is a stone better horse with dry ground,” said Donnelly.

“In his novice chasing season in 2023, he was entered in the Arkle. Jonbon and El Fabiolo were in the race so Gavin didn’t think he had much of a chance against them. We decided to go for the Grand Annual instead and we thought we had a serious chance of winning that. However, it lashed rain on the Tuesday night and the ground went heavy. Our race was already over before it had begun that year as a result.”

Final Orders' groom Caoimhe O’Brien, a sister of jockey Paddy O’Brien, has done a huge amount of work with the horse. In fact during the off-season, it is not unusual to spot O’Brien and Final Orders out hunting together with the Ward Union Hunt. Donnelly gave huge praise to O’Brien for her massive input in the horse's success.

“Caoimhe O’Brien who looks after him said that Cheltenham cannot come quickly enough. At that stage, we still needed the ground to dry up a lot more but he was in fantastic form. Caoimhe is fantastic with him. Garvan takes him home in the off season when he is on a break and she brings him hunting. She actually had him out with the Ward Union Hunt before Christmas. The buzz of being out wth the hunt brought him on a lot.”

After his Cheltenham success, Final Orders has been given a 10-pound rise in the handicap. However, because the weights for the Irish and English Grand National had already been announced, the now Cheltenham Festival winner will not receive the increase if connections decide to run him.

While Fairyhouse was a big appeal for the two lads from a local perspective, Donnelly explained that they would love to see the horse try to emulate the success of the last Ratoath-connected horse to win the Aintree Grand National, Bobbyjo in 1999.

“The handicapper in England increased him by 10 pounds but he does not get that before the English National this year. He was actually nine pounds lighter again in the Irish handicap, so he is 10 pounds well off for Aintree. So, taking that into account this year is probably our best chance in whatever National we go for,” said Donnelly.

“If the ground was right for him for Aintree, he will probably go there. Fairyhouse was obviously a big appeal for us given the fact that we are local and have been going there since we were very young. The Aintree Grand National is another level though. I remember when Bobbyjo won it in 1999 and the scenes in Ratoath that week were brilliant so we would love a crack at the English one.”

After that fantastic victory in Cheltenham, you would not doubt Final Orders ability to potentially top that success for his owners with a big run in the Aintree Grand National.