William McCarthy has only been a regular in Australian form guides for a little more than a year but he has already built a feature-race CV many jumps jockeys with decades experience would be jealous of.
The Irishman on Sunday won a stirring edition of the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) aboard the Paul Preusker-trained St Arnicca at Ballarat.
It gave the 39-year-old victory in the two biggest jumps races on the Australian calendar this year, having won the Grand Annual Steeplechase aboard the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Heberite in May.
Although from Ireland, he came to Australia from America and his success Down Under has softened the blow at what he was forced to leave behind.
“I was watching my horse Snap Decision, he’s a big-time jumper in the US, win a Grade 1 a couple of weeks ago and I left the US with a heavy heart leaving a horse like him behind, but every cloud has a silver lining,” McCarthy said.
“Coming down here to Australia has been the absolute pinnacle of my career.
“I’ve gotten to ride some fantastic horses and take home some big feature races and I’ve just been blessed with this opportunity.”
McCarthy produced a centimetre-perfect ride to get St Arnicca home at his steeplechase debut.
After settling just behind the pace set by The Cossack, St Arnicca was left to do the chasing behind Flying Agent after The Cossack looked seemingly beaten when overtaken inside the final 1600m.
St Arnicca moved alongside Flying Agent around 450m from home and edged clear of the $2.90 favourite in the straight but was then forced to see off another challenge from a resurgent The Cossack.
The Kiwi visitor looked set to reel in St Arnicca at the 100m only for the six-year-old son of Canford Cliffs to rally and hold on for a short-head win over The Cossack ($6) with Flying Agent three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
It was the sixth win from 31 starts for St Arnicca, who had his first start for Terry and Karina O’Sullivan and has sported the Roll The Dice Racing colours for the entirety of his career.
“It’s a good crew of owners involved, a good race to tick off and thanks to the team back home and everyone involved,” Preusker said.
It was the second-straight Grand National Steeplechase success with a lightly-raced fencer for Preusker, who won the 2021 edition with Inaforhay, who like St Arnicca was having his first steeplechase start after a second placing in the Grand National Hurdle.
The Grand National Steeplechase was the feature on an all-jumps program also including the running of the $125,000 J.J. Houlahan Hurdle (3250m), which was won by the Steven Pateman-trained-and-ridden Bell Ex One.