Jury Duty delivers convincing verdict in Grand National Hurdle

Jury Duty returned a decisive verdict Saturday at Far Hills in New Jersey, shipping from Ireland to win the Group 1, $450,000 Grand National Hurdle with conviction.

Jumping efficiently over basically all 14 national fences, Jury Duty rated comfortably in sixth, progressing slowly and steadily through the final half of the 2 5/8-mile steeplechase. With three jumps left to go, Jury Duty had gotten up to third, and off the final turn he collared tiring leader Jaleo and despite lugging in went on to a 3 1/4-length victory.

David Mullins, rider of runner-up Tornado Watch, claimed foul against Robbie Power on the winner but stewards quickly dismissed the claim.

Tornado Watch had 10 lengths on third-place All the Way Jose, who loomed about five furlongs out but lost his momentum late. Then came Hinterland, Jaleo, Days of Heaven, Hammersly Lake, and Clarcam, who led early. Dawalan, a former champion jumper, was pulled up before the second-to-last fence and walked off the course while racing for the fist time in more than 17 months.

Jury Duty paid $4.60 as the heavy favorite and was timed in 5:14.20 over yielding ground.

“The farther the race went the happier I was getting,” Power said. “I got to the top of the straight and I knew I was going to win. I was just hoping something wasn’t going to come flying.”

Jury Duty is an Ireland-based 7-year-old gelding trained by Gordon Elliott who scored the biggest win of his career while pushing his career mark to 22-5-6-6, all in jump racing. Owned by the Sideways Syndicate, Jury Duty is by Well Chosen out of Swan Heart, by Broken Heart.