Shane Jackson admitted there was “ten times the excitement” in training his first Grand National Hurdle winner compared to his two victories in the race as a jockey.

Highland Blaze led all the way to capture Sunday’s Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown, giving Jackson his second major hurdle success for the season.

Jackson had previously claimed the Grand National Hurdle aboard Cougar Express in 2018 and Ablaze in 2020 but confessed to being far more nervous as a trainer than he ever was as a rider.

“I won two of these as a rider, but I was never as nervous and didn’t get as much of a kick afterwards,” Jackson said while joined by his wife Lauren and children.

Guided by jockey Jordan Hart, Highland Blaze strode to a decisive five-length victory over last year’s winner Affluential, with Right Now a short-head away in third.

The gelding joined Jackson’s yard after his former trainer Jackson Pallot retired from training at Bairnsdale.

He debuted for Jackson in the Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool in December before switching to a jumps career.

“What a horse,” Jackson said.

“He’s been in work for I don’t know how long.

“He came to me before the Jericho Cup last year, he had two weeks off after the Jericho and he’s just done everything we’ve asked of him.

“He’s been across to Adelaide and back and he just gives his all every time he comes to the races.

“It’s brilliant for the jockey. Here is a kid that claims three kilos, he ridden only a couple of winners and he’s ridden him like a true professional.”

Jackson revealed he gave Hart no pre-race instructions, leaving him to let Highland Blaze find his rhythm in front.

“These young jockeys don’t pin them down with too many instructions because they over complicate things,” Jackson said.

“I said ‘just let the horse do the talking’. The horse took him there early, he didn’t interfere with him, he was happy, and that was the winning of the race.

“The one time I gave him instructions, was the one time he was beaten, and I probably gave him too many instructions.

“It was a perfect ride and what a beauty of a ride.”

Jackson believes Highland Blaze could stretch to 5000m and may even become a Grand Annual Steeplechase contender next year “if he can jump a fence”.

The gelding will bypass the final jumps meeting at Ballarat on August 17 to focus on a second tilt at the Jericho Cup in December.

“He can go to the paddock for a little while and we’ll go back to the Jericho with a different horse,” Jackson said.

“He wasn’t with me long enough before the Jericho last year.

“He’s a bit of a sook and it takes him a while to get into his routine, so a freshen up now and he’s already got enough points to go to the Jericho.

“So, we’ll aim for that.”

Meanwhile, Prismatic – who finished fifth – was declared a non-starter after Racing Victoria stewards determined the gelding had run inside the markers due to interference on the first lap.

Instead of disqualifying him, stewards opted to declare him a non-starter.

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