SA’s Grand National double was up for grabs on the Parks track at Morphettville last Saturday and Victorian trainers took both major prizes back to Cranbourne.
Amy McDonald drew first blood when her eight-year-old gelding Felix Bay won the Dominant Grand National Steeplechase (3500m) at his first try over the bigger fences. 
Felix Bay, who gave McDonald her first SA city winner, was well placed and well handled throughout by Lee Horner. 
He started the $2.90 favourite in a field of six, of which five were trained at Cranbourne, three by Eric Musgrove. The sole SA entrant, the Barry Brook-trained Caroun, started a $31 outsider and lost his rider, Tom Ryan.
Felix Bay may back up in this Sunday’s Mosstrooper Steeplechase at Bendigo.
Musgrove made it a clean sweep for Cranbourne stables when Mystic Prince ($14) took out the Kevern Klemich Grand National Hurdle (3500m).
Martin Kelly had Mystic Prince well placed throughout and he had a length to spare on the line from SA iron horse Tunes ($7), a gallant second for Grant Young. 
The Brook-trained Searaven ($21) finished third, with Jarrod McLean-trained $1.50 favourite Cougar Express fourth.
Aiming high
In between the two jumps races, another Cranbourne trainer in Robbie Laing bobbed up with above-average rising three-year-old Thorondor in the Darley Handicap (1050m).
Well placed throughout by Dom Tourneur, the $1.50 favourite now has two wins from three starts, all at Morphettville.
He is now likely to be aimed at the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Victoria Derby day at Flemington. 
Good Knight 
Local trainer Ryan Balfour was well pleased with the win of Magnus Knight ($10) in the benchmark 82 Hualalai at Ducatoon Park Handicap (1050m) under Todd Pannell. 
The race was sponsored by Peter and Mark Toole, who will play host to freshman stallion Hualalai at their Kadina property this spring.
A dual juvenile winner in NSW, Hualalai is by champion sire Street Cry from Group 1-winning Encosta de Lago mare Aloha.