| Bred in Ireland, the chestnut Ascetic's Silver was another good son of the great jumper sire Ascetic. He was the dual winner of the Irish Grand National (1904) and the Grand National (1906), in the latter race beating the previous winner Moifaa and the favored John M.P. and winning by a decisive ten lengths. In his first Grand National (1905) he was run by his breeder, P.J. Dunne, and placed towards the end of the pack; he was then sold to Prince Hatzfeld, who put his favored jump jockey Arthur Hastings in the saddle for the successful win. Ascetic's Silver ran in the Grand National again in 1907 (sixth, carrying the heaviest weight, 12 st. 7) and 1909 (eleventh, at age 12, again carrying the heaviest weight at 12 st. 7 lb.). He was a somewhat erratic winner, attributed to his being a "bleeder." His dam's dam, Lady Pitt, won the Prince of Wales' Plate at Punchestown, and traced back in tail-female descent to the Irish mare Judy Go (1854), from whom many good 'chasers descended. |
