Coko Beach appears to have booked a return to Aintree after leading home a double from Gordon Elliott at the QuinnBet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase in Punchestown.
The eight-year-old, who was fourth behind stablemate Death Duty 12 months ago, finished in a well-held eighth behind Noble Yeats in the Randox Grand National two heats later and could now follow a similar path after finding the scorer’s chart for the first time since February 2021
The noble gray arrived on the Kildare circuit on the back of a respectable fourth in the Thyestes at Gowran last month and was sent off at 7/1 as the smallest of the four of Cullentra House.
Never far from the pace in the hands of Ben Harvey, he carved his way forward as he drove with plenty of panache on four outs.
Sam Curling’s 15/8 favorite Angels Dawn also moved threateningly into the contest and looked a real threat when he switched to Coko Beach’s third end.
The race was soon over as a contest, however, as Angels Dawn tossed Cian Quirke off in the penultimate race and all the rugged Coko Beach had to do was sear the retreating Stones And Roses and storm the straight for a commanding five-half Success against defending champion Death Duty, with the bronze medalist Defi Bleu another half length behind.
Both Paddy Power and Betfair went into the Grand National on April 15 with 33/1 from 66s and Elliott confirmed that Aintree was on the agenda.
He said: “We said we would drive it a little more conservatively today, just take our time as we’ve been using it a lot lately.
“I thought he ran a good race, he jumped well and he said when he came forward he didn’t make a shot. He gave the last one a big jump and it’s nice to win it.
“I could see him going to Aintree, there isn’t much for him at Cheltenham. I could imagine they’re all headed for the Nationals, English and Irish.
“The winner runs his race all the time and is a great horse. He finished eighth in the National last year and was right there until the third to last.
“Death Duty did well, he said he was only there because he missed the fourth and third from last.
“He’s a good horse, but he’s not easy to train”
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