Pentagon punt for prize

By Justin Robertson
CRANBOURNE trainer Mick Kent and his trackwork jockey, Gerrad Gilmour, finally got their hands on the Grand National Hurdle trophy at Sandown’s Betfair Park on Sunday.
The pair, making their third bid for the Grand National in five years, engineered a memorable victory for Kent’s diminutive jumper The Pentagon ($2.60 favourite) over the 4530m journey.
The Pentagon was withdrawn from the same race in 2009 after suffering a tendon injury, but could not be denied in Sunday’s $150,000 feature, bolting away in the last lap to claim an eight-length win over the Ciaron Maher-trained Regal Heir ($4.80).
Last year’s winner, the Robbie Laing-trained Desert Master ($6), opened up a big lead on the first lap, before finishing one-and-three-quarter lengths away third.
Gilmour, who has ridden for Kent for more than five years, was delighted to claim a victory in just his second ride of the year.
Prior to his win, The Pentagon had made just one jumping appearance this season, a fast finishing second to Sunday’s J.J. Houlahan Hurdle winner Titch at Sandown three weeks ago.
The eight-year-old chestnut capped a stellar weekend for Kent, who also had a winner at Caulfield on Saturday, with Glen Boss piloting $3.50 favourite Zoomin to victory in the RSL Handicap (2000m).