ch g Lute Antique (FR) - Voltige De Nievre (FR) (Brezzo (FR))
L'Ami, a brother to fellow John Smith's Grand National contender Kelami, raced four times on the Flat in France with his best effort coming when third on his debut in October, 2003. Subsequently sold by Doumen's Haras d'Ecouves to Jim McCarthy, L'Ami made his chase debut over an extended two miles and a furlong at Auteuil in September, 2003. He finished second that day and filled the same spot in a similar event one month later. Doumen's charge raced six times that season, finishing second again on his final start in March but failing to notch a victory. L'Ami had a busy second season over fences as he raced 12 times. He showed little in five further starts at Auteuil before capturing an elusive first win in an extended two miles, five furlongs handicap at the Parisian venue on November 7, 2004. A second-place finish in a Listed contest later that month booked his ticket to Lingfield for the three-mile Grade Two December Novices' Chase on December 11, in which he defeated Distant Thunder. After another win at Warwick, he proved himself a classy staying novice with a fourth-place finish in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase behind Trabolgan and was then third to Like-A-Butterfly in the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree in April. He returned to Auteuil at the start of the 2005/2006 season, finishing third in two prestigious events, before returning to England for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury in November, when second to Trabolgan. A fourth to Kicking King in the King George VI Chase at Sandown in December was followed by a runner-up finish behind stablemate Innox in the Racing Post Chase at the Esher track in February. He ran another fine race when fourth in the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup won by War Of Attrition. J P McManus purchased the gelding privately ahead of Aintree in 2006, when he finished third behind Celestial Gold in the Grade Two totesport Bowl. The 2006/07 season commenced with a fifth placing over hurdles at Auteuil ahead of taking third spot behind the great Kauto Star in the Grade One Betfair Chase. He went to Leopardstown in December for the Grade One Lexus Chase but was no match for The Listener on heavy going and came home fourth. L'Ami then took on Kauto Star again in the Grade Two AON Chase at Newbury in February and, in receipt of 10lb, he got to within a neck of causing an upset. However, he was no match for Kauto Star in the 2007 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16, as he crossed the line in seventh. On his first start in the John Smith's Grand National last season, L'Ami ran well for much of the contest before fading to finish a tired 10th. This season, L'Ami again started his campaign over hurdles at Auteuil before running a sound race when finishing third in a Grade Three chase at Cheltenham in November, then returned to the Cotswold track to finish 10th in a Listed handicap chase the following month. After a below par effort in a similar contest at Doncaster in January 2008, L'Ami returned to form with the application of cheekpieces, finishing a close third behind An Accordion in the Grade Three William Hill Trophy Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 11.
Race Record: Starts: 36; 1st: 3; 2nd: 7; 3rd: 7; Win & Place prize money: £326,055
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AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL 2008
