Last year's winner of the American Grand National Hurdle Stakes (NSA-1), Bective Stud's Zanahiyr, didn't repeat in the $300,000 race Oct. 17 at Far Hills, but trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy did.
This time they took home first-place honors with Zanahiyr's stablemate, Weld-Spec Glasgow and Dee L'Estrange's Western Fold, who wore down longtime leader Fil Dor to prevail in a photo finish in the 2 5/8-mile hurdle race. Western Fold paid $4.00 as the favorite.
Zanahiyr showed.
Though Kennedy rode Zanahiyr last year, he stayed aboard Western Fold for Saturday's race. Danny Gilligan piloted Zanahiyr.
Very few horses made up much ground over the soft turf at Far Hills, but Western Fold managed to pass the leader, though he needed a long stretch drive to do so over a brave runner-up.
"Very tight at the end," co-owner David L'Estrange said.
"We just couldn't believe it," co-owner Dee L'Estrange added.
Western Fold, a 7-year-old gelded son of Westerner out of the Anshan mare Fieldtown, won for the second time in six starts this year. Kennedy also rode him to victory on that occasion when Western Fold took a race at Punchestown in Ireland in the spring.
Elliott, who bases his stable in Ireland, has won many of steeplechasing's most prestigious events, including the Aintree Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
