Son Of Flemensfirth Returns To Form At Aintree

Winning at the Aintree Grand National Festival is certainly one way of making your stable debut, and is just what Three Musketeers (9g Flemensfirth - Friendly Craic, by Mister Lord) did for Gordon Elliott in Friday’s Grade 3 Merseyrail Hurdle.

A dual Graded winner as a five-year-old for Dan Skelton, the Frank McAleavy-owned bay had previous form at Aintree, having finished third in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle four years prior. Racing over the same trip of two and a half miles, he was positioned behind the leaders in a field of 21 and began to make good headway from three out. Driven out by Jack Kennedy, he stayed on to lead 100 yards from the line and kept on to beat Point Of Principle by a length and three quarters.

Speaking after the race, Gordon Elliott said, “Dan (Skelton) recommended the horse came to me, so it’s a big thanks to him. He could be a horse for the Galway Plate, as he stays and jumps well. The Galway Plate is back over fences and that is what I have in my head.”

Bred by W.B. Mctaggart, Three Musketeers was bought by Aiden Murphy as a store for €57,000.