Where It All Began puts in a strong staying effort in National Trial Where It All Began stayed on stoutly to overturn the 5/4 favourite We'llhavewan in the Quinnbet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown. With Paul Townend getting down to a very light weight (put up 2lb overweight at 10-2) on We'llhavewan, who was running off a 21lb lower mark over fences than hurdles, punters latched onto Willie Mullins' charge and sent him off the short-priced 'jolly' in this 15-runner stamina test. It looked good for favourite backers as We'llhavewan led after two out and set sail for home into the straight. However, third-running Where It All Began (10/1) made relentless headway for Jack Kennedy and collared We'llhavewan just before the last. He jumped it better than the favourite and powered home along the run-in to score by a widening 16 lengths from We'llhavewan who had no answers. Clonmeen was another five lengths back in third at 10/1. Kennedy said: “He jumped great and never missed a beat the whole way. “It probably looked turning in that I was going to finish third, but stamina really kicked in when we straightened up. I’m delighted with him. “He’s not reliant on heavy ground, just a test of stamina is what he wants. “He’d been running well and threatened to do something like that. “That’s as light as I’d go (10st 5lb).” Gordon Elliott added: “He could go for the Kim Muir at Cheltenham or an Irish National. It was a good performance and he stays really well.” This gave Elliott his third National Trial in a row following on from victories by Death Duty and Coko Beach. Paddy Power cut Where It All Began from 200/1 to 50/1 for the Grand National. Additional reporting by Alan Magee
