'Unique' Crambo slashed to 8-1 for Stayers' Hurdle after giving Fergal O'Brien second Grade 1 win in Long Walk thriller

The Long Walk Hurdle was dubbed as a duel between the old and the young and it was the new pretender Crambo who was crowned after a glorious battle with the race’s three-time winner Paisley Park. 

A slow early pace was set by regular front-runner Dashel Drasher and just five lengths covered the ten-strong field passing the winning post for the first time with the two who fought out the finish well positioned in the second rank. On a magically merry day at Ascot, the Long Walk soon turned into a sprint. 

At the head of the home straight Newbury's Long Distance Hurdle winner Dashel Drasher was challenged by the four-year-old Blueking D'Oroux and Botox Has, but no sooner had he seen them off then the stalking pair of Crambo and Paisley Park swamped him at the final flight.

The pair then engaged in a fierce battle, and it was only in the dying strides that the five-year younger legs of Crambo began to prevail, with just a short head separating the gallant Paisley Park from a record-equalling fourth triumph.

It was not to be for Emma Lavelle's stalwart and instead a second top-level success went the way of the jubilant Fergal O'Brien, who said Crambo's fighting spirit had been evident almost from the moment he was born. 

“He doesn’t know when he’s beat,” he said of the 5-1 winner. “He’s a phenomenal little horse, a bull of a horse. Noel Fehily bred him with his owner Jared O'Sullivan and Noel always has him at home and pre-trains him, does a great job with him, and then sends him back to us. 

“He’s unique. Noel was telling me today that he was two weeks premature and the mum foaled him herself. He's one of those, you honestly wouldn't know he was in the yard at home as he's so straightforward.

"He's still such a young horse, I can't believe he's here winning a Grade 1 after a battle in the EBF Final last season. It’s only my second Grade 1 and I’ve been training for 12 years so it’s been a long time between drinks.”

Jonathan Burke and Crambo are right in the mix as the Long Walk heats up at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

O'Brien's last Grade 1 came in 2017 with Poetic Rhythm's victory in the Challow Hurdle, and beverages will no doubt also be going the way of the winning jockey Jonathan Burke, who was riding Crambo in a race for the first time after it was announced he would be replacing the horse's regular rider Connor Brace during the week. 

Brace had been aboard when Crambo had finished an eyecatching third at Haydock on Betfair Chase day and, while paying tribute to the 22-year-old's contribution to the horse's development, O'Brien felt vindicated by the decision to side with Burke's experience.

“With no disrespect to Connor, Johnny has been riding in Grade 1s since he was 18 years of age," he said. "I never hid behind the owners, it was my decision and just felt coming here today I needed to tick all of the boxes.

“We took Crambo away a couple of weeks ago to give Johnny a feel of him. He said he didn’t get much from him but I said to just trust him on the day and I can’t thank him enough because he’s given him a fantastic ride."

Paisley Park's first win in the Long Walk four years ago paved the way to his Stayers' Hurdle success the following March, and bookmakers cut Crambo to 8-1 (from 20-1) for the Cheltenham Festival showpiece.

His part-owner Chris Giles has already backed him at 33-1 for the championship race having invested prior to his last run at Haydock, and he believes the Long Walk may have signalled a shift in the hierarchy of the division.

“It was a tough race and he was up against the best,” he said. “Maybe it's time for a changing of the guard and he’s proved today he deserves to be in the division. 

“I don’t know what price he is now for the Stayers', but it's great to see a young horse do it at that level for the first time. He’s very like Paisley Park and to fight out a finish with him is a real honour.

“This is a big day for me and for Jared because nine years ago we had Zarkandar pull himself up in this race when Reve De Sivola deservedly won, so I’ve been waiting nine years for this and it’s been very satisfying.”

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