Can't Buy Time: trainer Jonjo O'Neill worried eight-year-old might not stay
PICTURE: Mark CranhamO'Neill: My National pair can put on good show
TRAINER Jonjo O'Neill is hopeful his two John Smith's Grand National runners, Can't Buy Time and Don't Push It, can put on a good show in Saturday's Aintree marathon.
Tony McCoy, seeking his first National success, has yet to decide which of the JP McManus-owned pair he will ride, although weekend reports suggested he would side with Don't Push It, a best-priced 33-1 with Sportingbet, on account of the likelihood of soft ground. O'Neill, however, suggested luck would play a greater part in the 4m4f contest.
"Everyone talks about the luck you need to win the race, which is true, but thinking back to Clan Royal's two unlucky defeats, I think we need a bit more than most," O'Neill wrote on his website.
"You can't go into the National feeling confident because anything can happen, but I'd like to think Can't Buy Time and Don't Push It will put in a good show."
Can't Buy Time, whose odds for the race range from 16-1 to 25-1, was sixth behind National favourite Big Fella Thanks on his last start and O'Neill's main concern is whether the eight-year-old will stay.
"I was a bit disappointed with Can't Buy Time at Newbury last time and he took a while to get over that race, but he seems in good form now," added O'Neill, who never won the National as a jockey.
"He fell in last year's National but, to be fair, he's a good jumper on the whole and he's effective on most types of ground.
"Whether he gets the trip is another story because he didn't last home over four miles at Cheltenham last season, but Aintree is a different place all together."
"Don't Push It is a good horse on his day, but he never got into the race atall at Cheltenham last time, even though he'd be working great beforehand.
"He runs his race generally, though, and I can see him putting in a decent show if things go his way.
"The National is a lottery,as proved again last year with a 100-1 winner. Let's just hope our numbers come up!"
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