Trainer Ciaron Maher wins seventh Grand Annual Steeplechase with Rockstar Ronnie, jockey Chris McCarthy ecstatic with win

The reigning Melbourne Cup winner came into Thursday's race with the favourite Stern Idol but it was stablemate Rockstar Ronnie who got the job done for the Maher-Eustace stable to win back-to-back Grand Annuals.

It saw Irish jockey Chris McCarthy, who won his first Grand Annual, return with the eight-year-old to frenzied celebrations in the mounting yard.

Rockstar Ronnie led from start to finish across the 5500-metre and 33-jump course, holding off Warrnambool-trained Police Camp (Simon Ryan) by three-and-a-half lengths with the Aaron Purcell-trained Crosshill in third.

The Winslow-raised export, 41, told The Standard his seventh Grand Annual victory felt just as good as his previous six.

"It's just amazing, I think it's the best race and I get a lot of satisfaction and I'm really proud of the team and the job they've done," he said.

"Growing up here, it's an iconic race and it's unbelievable to win it again."

Maher was thrilled to see McCarthy secure his first Grand Annual title.

"He just loves it, he's fit, he was in form this year and rapt for him to get the win," Maher said.

Maher said race favourite Stern Idol, who was up near the front throughout the opening half of the race, had failed to make the trip.

"Stern Idol, he just didn't run the trip," he said. "(Rockstar Ronnie) did and had the form over this trip, so fantastic."

Maher credited his past 12 months, which includes two Grand Annual triumphs and the 2022 Melbourne Cup, to his team.

"I've got an unbelievable team of people," he said.

"Winning those races, it comes down to the little one per centers that every one does to preparing these horses to be able to win those races.

"I'm just very thankful and grateful for them."

Maher now ties Jim Houlahan for 14 features race wins at Warrnambool, with Maher labelling Houlahan an "unbelievable" trainer.

"I was so grateful I was able to ride for him in a race," he said. "I went and worked for him because I respected the way he trained so much.

"I'm sure if he started earlier he would have had a lot more."

AN Irish jockey who led the famous 5500-metre Grand Annual Steeplechase from start to finish helped deliver master trainer Ciaron Maher his seventh victory.

Chris McCarthy had the perfect ride on outsider Rockstar Ronnie on Thursday and celebrated the feat accordingly, jumping off his horse and being carried through the mounting yard as the crowd threw their support behind the likeable winner.

He credited a connection with Maher and his younger brother Declan for his success on Australian shores after taking a leap of faith to leave the Emerald Isle seven years ago.

McCarthy, 32, grew up in County Cork and left school at 16 to become a jockey.

He arrived in Australia in his mid-20s, spent a year in New South Wales and a year in Victoria before teaming up with the Mahers.

"I have been here around seven years now and I actually have permanent residency," McCarthy told The Standard.

"I was trying to decide between the two (states) where I could get sponsored and I ended up going to Ciaron's and Ciaron was good enough to sponsor me.

"I was there for four-and-a-half years and they gave me the notion when Big Blu won the Galleywood here - I was schooling him and doing a bit of work with him - and I thought 'maybe that could be me one day'.

"I said 'why don't I give it a go, it's now or never, if it's not for me, at least I gave it a crack and thank god I did."

McCarthy thanked his family, including fiancee Megan O'Neill who came across from Ireland to help him pursue his dream. The pair try and visit Ireland every two years.

"She doesn't come to the races much so I can imagine when I was leading the whole way around there she was getting fair nervous and more nervous than myself," he said.

"It's great to have her here with me. I can't believe it. I'm probably not well educated enough to put it into words."

He predicted his mother - "my biggest supporter" - would wake up in Ireland and "won't believe her eyes".

"I was having a good carnival and the horses were running to their mark," he said.

"I was happy with my week but this just tops it off."

Rockstar Ronnie's Grand Annual Steeplechase win was as good as it gets for two life-long friends who grew up in Warrnambool.

Part-owners Allan McCullagh and Chris McLeod were lost for words when the eight-year-old crossed the line 3.5 lengths ahead of the Simon Ryan-trained Police Camp.

The pair had owned greyhounds together before McLeod organised for McCullagh to buy into the jumper with him.

McCullagh said it was "a dream come true" to win the iconic event in front of his home crowd.

"We're pretty well known around town so it's the equivalent of winning the Melbourne Cup really," he said.

"If you ask Chris, this is his Melbourne Cup. He never put a foot wrong the horse, he's jumped magnificently."

McCullagh praised Maher and Eustace for their work persisting with Rockstar Ronnie.

"The horse came out from Ireland obviously, had a few hiccups along the way and the trainers have done an amazing job," he said.

"To get him to today, we thought we'd done our dash there when he got scratched at Sandown and they reprogrammed him and here we are. It's unbelievable."

McCullagh said he had faith Rockstar Ronnie would handle the heavy track conditions.

"We knew he'd run the distance obviously," he said.

"The track's probably not as bad as everybody thought it would be. He's come from Ireland so we knew he'd handle the ground and he'd run the distance. You've got the best trainer. It's amazing."

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