The 2025 Randox Aintree Foxhunters’ Open Hunter Chase went the way of one of its most local participants on the opening day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree Racecourse (3 April). This race is a huge goal for many amateur jockeys, trainers and owners of point-to-point horses.
The winner, Gracchus De Balme, is trained in nearby Cheshire by Joe O’Shea and was today ridden by Huw Edwards. Together they put in a stunning display of jumping around one circuit of the famous Grand National fences, virtually leading from start to finish.
Watch the video“He jumped and travelled; I kept filling him up the whole way and he’s seen it out well – it’s brilliant,” said Huw, who was overcome with emotion following this victory aboard the nine-year-old gelding, owned by Derek Malam.
“The start was a bit messy [a false start] but he travels and jumps well so he took me there, and he was spot-on the rest of the way. I could hear them coming, but I was too scared to have a look, really. He didn’t feel tired and he just kept finding.”
Second-placed Jet Plane, who was ridden by Jack Andrews and trained by Dan Skelton, headed Gracchus De Balme at the Elbow, but the latter bravely fought back to win by a length at odds of 22/1.
Gracchus De Balme started life in Ireland and was trained by Joseph O’Brien under Rules before he was bought for £12,000 in an online auction by Joe in 2024. He won his British pointing debut at Knightwick Races in Worcestershire last November and Joe’s head girl said after that victory that a crack at the Aintree Foxhunters’ was a possible target.
“I ride out for Joe most days and he does so well with his horses,” said Huw. “This horse was cheap and to have come and done this – it’s brilliant.”
Soon after that victory at Knightwick, Hannah suffered a serious fall on the gallops at home, which knocked her out and resulted in a broken back requiring emergency surgery.
“It was the worst day of my life,” said Hannah after Gracchus De Balme’s Aintree Foxhunters’ win. “But this horse winning like that is unbelievable and a great achievement. Honestly it’s so emotional.”
Trainer Joe O’Shea saddled Cousin Pascal to victory in the same race in 2021 when it was held behind closed doors, owing to Covid restrictions, and, echoing Hannah’s thoughts in November, he said this race had been the target for Gracchus De Balme.
“When Hannah had her accident on the gallops, I said to her ‘I’ll win the Foxhunters’ for you, don’t you worry’,” said Joe. “The right horse won and the money was on. Once he went past me at the Grand National start, I said to Hannah, ‘we’ve won this’.
“This is better than four years ago. Where we are in Cheshire, everyone is a hunting person and it was a shame there was nobody here then as it was a Covid year. This is what we missed. We are going to make up for it. We’ve won in front of our home crowd.”
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