18 It is entirely appropriate that the cream should rise to the top in races named in honour of WRC Hall of Fame member Kevin Lafferty and the dual Grand Annual winner Thackeray. The winners of these races include Wells and Bashboy, the only horses to have won three Grand National Steeplechases in the very long history of that race; the greatest Grand Annual rivals of all, Gold Medals and Zed Em; Gotta Take Care and Saunter Boy who are both dual winners of the Galleywood Hurdle; and the champion fencer Stern Idol who triumphed in last year’s Thackeray Steeplechase. Stern Idol introduced himself to Australian jumps racing fans at this meeting in 2022 by winning the 1JW Hurdle with ridiculous ease. His previous win over jumps was in a hurdle race in May 2021 at Paris’ beautiful jumps course, Auteil, which is known as the Temple of French jumps racing. And that is just the horses! WRC Hall of Fame member Ciaron Maher has eight wins in the two features (two in partnership with David Eustace). Maher’s octet comprises Saunter Boy in the hurdle in 2021 and the steeplechase with Regal Heir (2012), Bashboy (2013-2015), Bit of A Lad (2020), Wil John (2024), and Stern Idol (2025). Champion rider Steven Pateman stands head and shoulders above other riders in these two races, having won five of the sixteen running of the hurdle and the steeplechase on half a dozen occasions. Mark McNamara June 2026 Kevin Lafferty Hurdle and Thackeray Steeplechase
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