Warrnambool trainer Ciaron Maher is poised to win his first Grand Annual Steeplechase with either of his in-form pair Pentacolo and Al Garhood.Pentacolo is a last-start winner of the Great Eastern Steeple at Oakbank on Easter Monday giving Maher, 27, his first victory in that race while Al Garhood won back-to-back Brierly Steeples on Tuesday.Pentacolo would become the eighth horse to complete the Great Eastern-Grand Annual double in the past 26 years after Venite (1983), Spring Fortune (1987), C
Warrnambool trainer Ciaron Maher is poised to win his first Grand Annual Steeplechase with either of his in-form pair Pentacolo and Al Garhood.
Pentacolo is a last-start winner of the Great Eastern Steeple at Oakbank on Easter Monday giving Maher, 27, his first victory in that race while Al Garhood won back-to-back Brierly Steeples on Tuesday.
Pentacolo would become the eighth horse to complete the Great Eastern-Grand Annual double in the past 26 years after Venite (1983), Spring Fortune (1987), Commission Red (1990), Vinchiamo (1992), Foxboy (1997), Planet Hollywood (1999) and Real Tonic (2006).
Maher believes the gruelling 5500m trip over 33 fences will suit Pentacolo even better than the 4950m of the Great Eastern.
Brad McLean, who won his first Great Eastern aboard Pentacolo, stays with the Pentire six-year-old on Thursday.
However Brian Constable, who won the Brierly aboard Al Garhood, is committed to riding the Eric Musgrove-trained Conzeal in the Grand Annual.
Maher is playing a waiting game by not engaging a rider for Al Garhood but with fellow Warrnambool trainer Aaron Purcell declaring Go And Get an unlikely runner he is hoping to snap up Craig Durden.
Durden has won the race three times including on the Purcell-trained Ginolad last year.
Robbie Laing is also yet to declare a rider for comeback jumper Sir Pentire and is also interested in securing the services of Durden.
"He disappointed me in the Brierly (when a dour fifth). He's well in himself but he didn't race with much enthusiasm," Purcell said of Go And Get.
"I don't think he went well enough to win (the Grand Annual)."
McLean, 24, was runner-up on his brother Jarrad's Greenlaw last year and would love to win the race having, like Maher, grown up in Warrnambool.
The pair got to know each other at pony club as boys.
McLean has been associated with outstanding 'chaser Some Are Bent and has won most of the major jumps races in Australia.
Last year Maher resisted the temptation to back up Al Garhood two days after the Brierly but is happy to run him this year.
"He pulled up really well after the Brierly and he'll run," Maher said.
Nine horses have won the Brierly-Grand Annual double in the past 35 years - Blueholme (1974), So And So (1978), Meander Son (1982), Rocky Affair (1984), Galleywood (1986), Chantry Rise (1994), Foxboy (1997), The Sundance Kid (1998) and Frankoo Verymuch (2005).
Maher will have three runners in the 14-horse field after first emergency Fiddleray gained a run when What An Honour was scratched.
Kelvin Bourke, the former champion cross-country jockey who won the Grand Annual aboard Olympic Choice (1973) and So And So (1978), will try to win the race with Thisonesonme who was runner-up in the Brierly.
The Generous five-year-old has been placed in four of his five jumps starts without a win.
"The intention was to run him in the Grand Annual if he ran well in the Brierly and I think the trip will suit him," Bourke said.
Patrick Payne has two runners in It's A Dud and Shinko Dancer.