Racing Post

National fourth and dual Becher hero who was ‘a bit of a loon’

JACK HAYNES

AINTREE’S National course offers one of the most unique tests for a chaser, with some horses relishing the challenge and others not really facing it. Walk In The Mill, the first horse to win back-to-back runnings of the Becher Chase, certainly falls into the first category.

Becher Chase wins in 2018 and 2019, plus a highly creditable fourth behind Tiger Roll in the Grand National in

between, ensured Walk In The Mill will always be remembered for his exploits at the famous Merseyside track.

Walk In The Mill arrived at Robert Walford’s Dorset yard in 2015 on the back of six runs, including a chase victory at Fontainebleau, and the trainer soon realised he had a character on his hands.

Walford, who landed the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle with Camping Ground that season, says: “Richard Hobson recommended him to us and my first impression was Walk In The Mill seemed a bit bonkers – he was a bit of a loon, but in a good way. He was a gorgeous horse and a lively character.

“On the whole he was pretty straightforward though and he was a nice lad to be around.”

The son of Walk In The Park placed on four of his five starts in his first British campaign, but he proved a different proposition the following season. A first victory for connections came on his reappearance at Exeter, which proved the start of a longstanding partnership with jockey James Best.

Best, who rode Walk In The Mill on 16 of his 18 starts thereafter, says: “Even from the first time I rode him at Exeter, he had such a likeable way of going. He was a pleasure to ride, a very good jumper and the more positive you were, the better he was.”

An easy victory at Wincanton followed and the next season he landed a fair handicap chase at Ascot before finishing a four-length third in the Listed Silver Cup Handicap Chase, beaten by Gold Present and a certain Paul Nicholls-trained chaser called Frodon.

A staying-on third under Martin McIntyre in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Cheltenham’s November meeting on his return in 2018 teed Walk In The Mill up for a first crack at the Becher Chase the following month.

HE WAS a 10-1 shot in a typically open renewal, but connections were not too sure how we would take to the fences. A four-and-a-half length triumph over Vieux Lion Rouge, who went on to win the race in 2020, provided a resounding answer.

Best says: “You never quite know how a horse will take to the National fences, but we were very hopeful going into the race. We were confident he would see out the trip well and run a big race, but for him to go and do what he did was unbelievable.

“It was a dream come true to win a race over those iconic fences. I grew up watching races over those fences and so to realise my dream was fantastic.”

Walford protected his star chaser’s mark by running him in novice hurdles at

Chepstow and Exeter prior to a tilt at the Grand National. He ran a huge race, moving strongly into contention at the 20th fence and keeping on dourly in the straight to finish fourth. For Best, it was a massive day to be involved in British racing’s most famous jumps race and one he will never forget.

He says: “It was fantastic to be part of it and it remains the only time

I’ve returned to the fourth spot in the winner’s enclosure and been absolutely elated!

“He showed such courage and determination to hold on to fourth from the back of the last. He could have very easily caved in and been run down for fourth, but he stuck his head out and galloped well to the line. It was a tremendous run.”

After pulling up in Wincanton’s Badger Beers, Walk In The Mill headed back to Aintree for what proved his historic second Becher Chase win. It did not come without a scare, though, with the Baroness Harding-owned chaser doing well to largely sidestep Like The Sound, who fell in front of him at the first.

He was hampered at that early stage, but soon gained a prominent position and beat Kimberlite Candy, who landed the Classic Chase at Warwick on his next start, by two and a half lengths.

Walk In The Mill became the first back-to-back Becher Chase winner, and equalled the record two wins in the race achieved by Into The Red and Hello Bud, with his second success in the race picked as a highlight by Walford.

“His second Becher Chase win was really good,” says Walford. “When he first won the race, we didn’t really expect it at all, whereas the second win there was a bit more relief about it as we expected a good run that day. “I don’t know why the course and those fences suited him so well, but he really did love it around there.”

Best feels that it was not just the fences but the atmosphere at Aintree that brought out the best in Walk In The Mill. The rider says: “He was incredible that day and did very well to

avoid being brought down at the first. To then put that behind him and go on to win as he did was brilliant.

“He jumped particularly well bar the fourth-last and it was an incredible feeling jumping the last thinking he might go and do it again.

“Those fences really suited him well and he seemed to come alive with the atmosphere at Aintree. It’s such a big, open place and the

crowd there create an incredible atmosphere. Horses either take to the fences or don’t – he certainly did.

“He was a joy to be involved with and is right up there with the best horses I’ve ridden in my career so far.”

It was hoped another Chepstow novice hurdle outing would set Walk In The Mill up for a second try at the Grand National, but the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to such plans with the race cancelled in 2020.

HE RETURNED the following season with a Sodexo Gold Cup seventh at Ascot before uncharacteristically falling at the Chair when seeking an unprecedented Becher Chase hat-trick.

First-time blinkers failed to reignite Walk In The Mill in the Classic Chase in January, with connections deciding their Aintree hero owed them nothing and called it a day on his racing career.

Walk In The Mill nonetheless remains very active in his post-racing life and enjoys five-star accommodation with his owner.

Walford says: “He’s with Dido [Harding] now and he’s doing a bit of cross country and staying active, he goes riding with the kids and he’s enjoying a great life after racing. He’s in the lap of luxury.

“He’s not the highest-rated horse I’ve trained, but is by far the most successful. He did more for us than we can ever have dreamed of and exceeded any expectations we may have had.”

FANS’ FAVOURITES

en-ie

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://racingpost.pressreader.com/article/281681143155874

Racing Post