National victory looks a noble ambition at Aintree

Gordon Elliott made his name by winning the Grand National in 2007 and looks to have a very strong hand this year, with NOBLE ENDEAVOR making most appeal at 33-1.

He has experience of big-field handicaps having won the Paddy Power Chase last season and finishing a good third in the Ultima at Cheltenham.

Going further back as a novice, he was running a great race in the hottest four-mile chase ever run at the Cheltenham Festival when unluckily coming down two out.

Minella Rocco won with Native River second, Vicente fifth and Vieux Lion Rouge sixth, while Definitly Red, Shantou Flyer and Pleasant Company (a horse we will come back to) were all non-completions.

Had Noble Endeavor not fallen, it’s probable he would have finished in the frame at least and his display should be viewed positively for a similar marathon test.

Although he has not been seen since the Irish National last April, that is probably no accident and he will have a run somewhere before heading to Aintree.

That Cheltenham tumble is the only one since he went chasing and he seems to be very safe in the jumping department.

You have to go into this race with a few bullets in the chamber and PLEASANT COMPANY forms the second part of the portfolio.

The Willie Mullins-trained ten-year-old disappointed in the Thyestes last time out, but the ground was exceedingly testing and I think he’s just had enough of that.

Although he has won on heavy in the Bobbyjo Chase last season, it was only yielding for his previous victory at the 2016 Punchestown Festival when beating Regal Encore and that is more like his conditions.

He was running a tremendous race last season until making a bad mistake at Valentine’s second time – and he was sent off at just 11-1 that day, now he’s 40-1.

Another Thyestes also-ran was A GENIE IN ABOTTLE, who is a huge price for one so talented.

Although disappointing that day, it’s worth remembering that he was in great form in the early part of the season, winning consecutive races at Galway and Wexford from Mala Beach and Tiger Roll, who are both much shorter in the betting.

Last season he ran Anibale Fly to three-quarters of a length in a Grade 3 at Naas and was sent off favourite for the four-miler at Cheltenham where he wasn’t disgraced in fifth.

It’s fair to say he has been a bit below-par on his last two starts, but last April he was placed in a Grade 1 chase behind Disko at Punchestown so he can easily bounce back and he is a very big price – as big as 100-1 in a few places – to do so.

The first horse to catch me eye was Vyta Du Roc. He has a nice weight, won last time out, comes good at the end of the season and has the experience and class.

Three years ago he was second behind Thistlecrack in a Grade 1 hurdle at this meeting; a year later he was fifth in the Scottish National as a novice; then last year he all but caught Henllan Harri in the bet365 Gold Cup.

However, he had colic recently and Nicky Henderson isn’t certain he will have him ready in time, so he can’t be recommended for now.

Should he make sufficient progress to make the gig, he will be in my top four of the pinstickers’ guide in the week of the race.

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