Old Vic's awesome Grand National record puts his two runners in the spotlight

The first thing any self-respecting student of jumps pedigrees will do when presented with the Grand National field each year is to scan through the runners to find progeny of Old Vic.

The late French and Irish Derby winner has by far the best record of any stallion in the Aintree spectacular in recent years, with two winners to his name – Comply Or Die, who ran second in his bid to defend his title, and Don't Push It, who led home a one-two for the sire when beating Black Apalachi.

There was also a runner-up for the sire in Sunnyhillboy, who was beaten just a nose by Neptune Collonges, and a 100-1 third-place finisher in Vics Canvas.

What is particularly pleasing about Old Vic's National record is that from a bumper 27 runners in the race, more than half managed to complete the course.

The Sunnyhill Stud stalwart's two runners in the 2019 edition, Ballyoptic and Folsom Blue, will therefore be of obvious interest to breeding enthusiasts.

Ballyoptic has further pedigree appeal as his dam, the Un Desperado mare Lambourne Lace, has already been represented by a Grand National winner this year – her son Sharp Response, who took the North Yorkshire version at Catterick in January.

Folsom Blue, meanwhile, must rank as one of the best-bred competitors in this year's National as he is a half-brother to one Grade 1-winning hurdler in Prince Of Scars out of another Grade 1-winning hurdler in Spirit Leader.

A good run by Folsom Blue should give critics of Gigginstown House Stud's policy of selling some of its older proven talents pause for thought. The former Grade 2-placed hurdler was sold for £21,000 as a ten-year-old at Doncaster, and he has won Punchestown's Grand National Trial and finished fourth in the Irish version at Fairyhouse for his new connections.

Presenting is the only other sire with progeny in this year's National to have previously posted at least one winner and a runner-up in the race. He struck with Ballabriggs and came close to a second scorer last year when Pleasant Company just found Tiger Roll too good.

It must be said, though, that the late Glenview Stud resident has had plenty of chances – 32 runners in total – and only ten of those managed to get round at Aintree.

The pedigree pick of his three runners on Saturday might be Up For Review, who is out of a half-sister to Cheltenham Gold Cup third Turpin Green (also by Presenting) from the family of useful staying chaser Grange Brake.

Coolmore National Hunt stallion Milan is next best among the National sires with runners this year, having already come up trumps with a winner in One For Arthur and a third in Double Seven. Milansbar was also a fair fifth last year.

Fresh from a Cheltenham Festival that displayed his prowess as a source of staying chasers, with Hazel Hill winning the Foxhunter and Santini and Josies Orders taking second in the RSA and Glenfarclas Chase respectively, Milan has three delegates in this year's Aintree marathon.

One For Arthur has already proved his pedigree is tailormade for the Grand National, of course, but the other two – Monbeg Notorious and Singlefarmpayment – also happen to be related to National winners of sorts. Monbeg Notorious's granddam is a half-sister to Midlands winner GVA Ireland, while Singlefarmpayment is a relative of Welsh winner Emperor's Choice.

Cloudings has had two sons contest the Grand National – Many Clouds, who triumphed in 2015, and Cloudy Lane, who achieved sixth and eighth-place finishes from his three starts in the race. Cloudy Lane later notched a victory over the National fences, taking the Foxhunters' in 2012.

Both horses were owned by Trevor Hemmings, and he is back with another son of the stallion this year – his homebred Vintage Clouds, a half-brother to the smart chaser Vintage Star, who was pulled up in his one National outing five years ago.

Authorized is the fifth and final sire with a previous National winner on the board who has a runner again this year. His tenacious son Tiger Roll is aiming to become the first multiple winner of the showpiece since the similarly Flat-bred Red Rum.

Two outstanding jumps stallions of the new millennium who could get a deserved first Grand National winner on their resumes this year are Flemensfirth and Oscar.

Beeches Stud mainstay Flemensfirth has fielded two runners-up in King Johns Castle and The Last Samuri, and has two chances to go one better this year in Magic Of Light and Noble Endeavor.

Magic Of Light might be an outsider but she holds significant interest on pedigree, as a half-sister to Grade 1-winning hurdler Pingshou and the classy pair Mughas and Sizing Platinum, while her dam is a half-sister to Tattersalls Gold Cup heroine Fair Of The Furze, dam of champion Flat performer White Muzzle.

A Grand National winner would be the crowning glory in the glittering stud career of the late Oscar, and especially deserved considering he has delivered a runner-up (Oscar Time), third (Teaforthree) and fourth (Oscar Time again) in the race.

He has only one dart to throw at the board this year, but it is quite the weapon. The progressive Lake View Lad is a half-brother to the ill-fated top-class novice hurdler Neon Wolf, while victory would pay handsome tribute to his breeder Peter Magnier, who died in January.

LEADING GRAND NATIONAL SIRES
(WITH RUNNERS THIS YEAR)