Grand National runners: connections on the chances of their outsiders

5.15 Aintree
Randox Health Grand National (Grade 3) | 4m2½f, 7yo+ | ITV/RTV

Former winner 'back to his old self'

In 2017 it was One For Arthur. In 2019 it could be two for Arthur.

Since claiming Grand National glory for Scotland, One For Arthur has raced only twice, unseating his rider both times.

He was in the process of running a respectable race before his latest exit and trainer Lucinda Russell said: "We haven't had the smoothest of passages for the last two years but actually in the last two weeks I've been really pleased with him.

Grand National winner One For Arthur jumps to it in readiness for Aintree return

"I think physically and mentally he's getting back to his old self. We haven’t had a completed race this season but we've done plenty of work with him at Ayr and Carlisle racecourses when he’s had a jump round after racing.

"I just think, as trainers always say, we'll need a lot of luck on the day and I think we might need a little extra. A week and a half ago he was looking as well as he ever has, and I think he's got back to where he was two years ago."

Rachael in the swim again on Lido

Rachael Blackmore, who rode two winners at last month's Cheltenham Festival, is looking forward to her second Grand National ride on Valseur Lido.

She fell at the Chair on Alpha Des Obeaux 12 months ago, when this year’s mount finished eighth under Keith Donoghue.

"I’m really looking forward to him," she said. "Keith Donoghue said he got a real spin off him last year and he’s carrying less weight this year."

Rachael Blackmore: hoping for a good run from Valseur LidoCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Par for the course – eventually

If ever anything was designed to induce early delivery it was the Grand National hokey-cokey Jimmy Moffatt endured on declarations day.

At 10.05am the trainer, whose wife Nadine is due to give birth to their second child this Thursday, thought Just A Par had made the cut for the race that has been the aim since he was bought last August, only to be told 20 minutes later a mistake had been made and he’d missed out by one.

But by teatime he was back in, as a reserve replacing the injured Mall Dini, and Moffatt said: "I’m looking forward to it. His owner Mark Scott is a Liverpool man and this has always been the aim. I was very pleased with him in the Becher Chase on his first run for 600 days."

Second appearance on National stage

It is an Aintree encore for Regal Encore, who finished eighth on his first crack at the Grand National in 2017.

"He's in good form, he ran well at Ascot last time and he's all set to go," said trainer Anthony Honeyball.

"He was eighth two years ago, staying on past a lot of horses in the straight, and we'll see if he takes to it again. He enjoys jumping and if he gets into a good groove anything can happen."

Weight worry for champion Henderson

Victory for Valtor in the richest race of the season would revive Nicky Henderson's hopes of retaining the trainers' championship.

"Valtor is in good form and enjoyed jumping the Grand National fences the other day in Lambourn," said Henderson, who fears that another win may be beyond his new recruit.

"He went up 16lb for winning at Ascot on his debut for us and that's not how you win a Grand National."

Valtor: a weight rise for his Ascot win has made his National task much harderCredit: Mark Cranham / Getty Images

Spencer a late runner with new recruit

Royal Ascot-winning trainer Richard Spencer was handed a late chance to bid for National success when Rebel Racing paid £165,000 for Outlander out of Gordon Elliott's yard at the Goffs Aintree Sale.

Spencer said on Friday: "We've had him only since last night and whatever he does at Aintree will be down to Gordon Elliott and his team.

"But the rain on Thursday may help him, he jumps and he stays, and I just hope he comes back safe."

Outlander will be ridden by James Bowen. Spencer started his career in racing as a teenager by working for Bowen's trainer-father Peter in west Wales.

Kirby hopes to roll back the years

Don Poli beat National winner Many Clouds in a Listed race here in 2015 but he's been below form following a long layoff this season and was sold out of Gordon Elliott's yard for £170,000 at the Goffs Aintree Sale on Thursday.

He was bought by Darren Yates as a replacement for sidelined Aintree hope Blaklion and new trainer Phil Kirby said on Friday: "It's nice to have good owners who believe in us and are willing to pay significant sums of money for these horses.

"I rode him this morning and he gave me a nice feel, he seems fresh and well. He'll be nice going forward for next season as well."

No walk in the park for Becher winner

Walk In the Mill was an 11th-hour National withdrawal last year and has been aimed at the race ever since, showing what he can do when winning the Becher Chase over the course in December.

"He's in good form," said trainer Robert Walford. "The softer the better for him.

"He won the Becher Chase but that form hasn't worked out very well, the second, third and fourth have all been very disappointing since, and we're not expecting too much. He's in good form and we just hope he gets a clear run and runs his own race."

Walk In The Mill (blue, white sleeves) has already won over the National fencesCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Redbeard a Scots marauder on a mission

Captain Redbeard is the longest-priced of Scotland's three contenders, having had little luck in three previous runs over the National fences.

Trainer Stuart Coltherd said: "He's been running well all season. His worst run was in the Grand Sefton but he was held up, they went a really good pace and he could never get into it.

"He was a bit unfortunate when he was unseated in the National last year and with a clear round could run a big race."

Few good as Ultragold over big fences

No National runner has a better course record than Ultragold, who coped with the unique fences in fine style when landing the Topham Chase in 2017 and 2018 and was also third in the Becher Chase last December.

This distance is uncharted territory but trainer Colin Tizzard's son and assistant Joe said: "He got three miles five furlongs when we stepped him up in trip at Warwick and I don't think the ground will be a problem, he's handled soft in the past.

"He's won the last two Tophams and we know he loves the fences."

Twiston-Davies bids to Conquer again

Nigel Twiston-Davies is the only current British trainer to have won the National twice and has two chances of making it three victories.

Go Conquer and Ballyoptic are the pair who bid to follow in the hoofprints of Earth Summit and Bindaree, and Twiston-Davies said: "They're both well and I'm happy with them.

"Go Conquer won well at Doncaster, my one worry would be the ground being a bit too soft for him.

"Ballyoptic is in good form and was only just beaten in the Scottish National last season."

Go Conquer: won well at DoncasterCredit: Grossick Racing 07710461723

Stamina the concern for Pipe pair

David Pipe brings something old and something new to Aintree, 11 years on from winning the National with Comply Or Die.

The seven-year-old Welsh National and Grand National Trial runner-up Ramses De Teillee has his first crack at the race, whereas Vieux Lion Rouge, three years his senior, is an old hand who has completed the course in all six runs over these fences.

"Ramses De Teillee has had a great season and the rain came nicely for him," Pipe said. "We don't know if he'll get the trip but if he does then he's got every chance.

"Vieux Lion Rouge probably doesn't quite stay the full distance but he's the best we've ever had him and he's jumped 152 National fences in his racing career so far. The rain has also helped his chance."

Step on it – De Boinville hoping for better

Things can only get better for Nico de Boinville, who has his third Grand National ride on Step Back.

"I've got a pretty awful record in the race, two rides and I've come down at the first fence on both occasions," said the jockey.

His mount took the bet365 Gold Cup for Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Mark Bradstock last April and the rider added: "I'm really looking forward to it. If you can't be happy on a Bradstock-trained horse round here, you'll never be happy. He's in good order, so fingers crossed."

Magic start for Harrington

She's trained a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, a Champion Hurdle winner and a Classic winner on the Flat.

She's enjoyed many big-race successes at Aintree, most recently with Supasundae in the Aintree Hurdle on Thursday, but Jessica Harrington has never before had a runner in the Grand National.

Magic Of Light represents her and the trainer said: "She’s the only mare in the race and is an outsider, but she's in good form."

The eight-year-old, a three-time winner over fences and seventh in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last month, is a first National ride for 31-year-old Paddy Kennedy, older brother of Jack, who rides Dounikos.

Could Single be another hit for George?

Tom George sent out Saint Are to reach a place in the National twice in the last four years and hopes Singlefarmpayment will rise to this challenge.

His representative was well held at Cheltenham last time but the trainer said: "The ground was a bit soft, so we need it to dry out a bit.

"He’s a talented horse and it’s all about whether he enjoys it. We go with an open mind."

Kelly's eye on National glory

Lizzie Kelly has been successful at the last two Cheltenham Festivals and now goes after the biggest prize of all aboard her long-time ally Tea For Two.

The ten-year-old, trained by the rider's mother Jane Williams and a Grade 1 winner at Aintree when beating Cue Card two years ago, has largely uninspiring recent form figures against his name but Kelly – having her first Grand National ride – believes he is better than they suggest.

Lizzie Kelly celebrates victory aboard Tea For Two in the 2017 Betway BowlCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"He hasn't been running bad races," said Kelly. "His King George and Peterborough Chase performances were perfectly reasonable and he wasn't quite right at Taunton.

"I'm very excited to be riding in the National and glad the opportunity has come along on this horse."

Tale of two weather forecasts

Ground conditions are a worry for Harry Cobden's mount Warriors Tale, who won the 2m5f Grand Sefton Chase here last December and faded in the final mile of this race last year.

Trainer Paul Nicholls said: "We were going to run him in the Topham but then, like everyone else, we thought it was going to be a dry forecast and went for the National – but then of course we’ve had all this rain.

"The stamina’s a bit of an issue. He needs a dry night and a dry day. But he’ll jump round and Harry will give him a brilliant ride. We could have done without the rain but have to live with it."

Jonjo team hoping for Minella revival

Minella Rocco has looked a likely Grand National contender ever since winning the 4m National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in 2016 and he showed his class when second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup a year later.

But he has not even been placed since then and was pulled up in handicap company at the festival last month.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: "Things didn't go well at Cheltenham, where he missed the start and made a mistake at the first.

"Jonjo [O'Neill, trainer] has been happy with him since but we wouldn't like to see any more rain."

Spotlight verdict

Having held off Pleasant Company for Aintree glory in 2018, Tiger Roll has come roaring back this season and took the latest of his many Cheltenham Festival honours with such ease that he brings improved form to this year’s National as well as the 9lb higher mark. The chief negative about him has been the odds in a 40-runner contest. One opponent who could relish his first crack at the race is the Scottish National winner Joe Farrell (nap), who returned to action recently and has shaped very promisingly, as has Rathvinden who’s another to have registered an important win over 4m last term. Vintage Clouds and Lake View Lad shaped well with their strong finishes at Cheltenham, while Step Back should be primed for a bold show. Although Tiger Roll heads the Elliott/Gigginstown horde, Dounikos and General Principle could provide them with further powerful ammunition. All will have something to fear if Minella Rocco is still in contention after the first circuit.

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