2023 Grand National: 'It'll be a big ask but he's progressed well' - Noble Yeats camp confident despite 19lb rise

Emmet Mullins on Tuesday said he "can't complain" at the weights for the Randox Grand National despite seeing Noble Yeats handed a 19lb higher mark than when winning last year.

Noble Yeats was a relatively untried novice who started at 50-1 when landing the Aintree showpiece off 10st 10lb in 2022.

He is now third favourite for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, having won a Listed race at Wexford and Grade 2 contest back at Aintree last autumn, but is set to return for another crack at the National, for which he is 10-1 market leader despite being handed 11st 11lb when the weights were unveiled on Tuesday.

Mullins said: "I can't complain with a rating of 166. It's 19lb more than last year, which will be a big ask, but he seems to have progressed well this year and we know he takes to the fences. It's horses for courses and fingers crossed he can put up a bold show.

"He ran very well in his two wins. And while he didn't win at Cheltenham on his last run, he galloped all the way to the line so staying is definitely his forte."

Noble Yeats is owned by Robert Waley-Cohen, who said: "He's come out and won a Listed race and a Grade 2 and he's obviously come on a lot since last year. First things first, he'll run in the Gold Cup and see how he comes out of that, if he comes out of it well he'll go to Liverpool. There's a month in between and he seems to take his racing quite well."

Corach Rambler is 14-1 second favourite (from 16-1) with Hills after being handed 10st 5lb.

Delighted trainer Lucinda Russell, who won the National with One For Arthur in 2017, said: "I spoke to Derek Fox and I asked what would be your ideal weight, so you can ride with a normal-sized saddle and have breakfast in the morning? And he said 10st 5lb. If the weights stay the same, that's just heaven.

Lucinda Russell and partner Peter Scudamore were delighted with the weight handed to Corach Rambler Credit: John Grossick

"He's in really good form and had a decent piece of work this morning. I'd like to have got a run into him before now but we haven't managed to so he'll go for the Ultima.

"For a modern National he's ideal, the fences now are much fairer than they used to be and I think he'll take to them, he's very intelligent. He's got a bigger turn of foot at the end, even today when we worked him over two miles he can sprint at the end, it's not just that he's staying on."

Willie Mullins has a shortlist of four from his eight entries and hinted that Gold Cup entry Capodanno could be the pick of his team.

"I think he's got a bit of class that maybe the other horses haven't got," said the trainer, who won the race with Hedgehunter in 2005.

Willie Mullins: believes Capodanno has "got a bit of class"Credit: John Grossick

"I think he's a horse who is still improving and weight won't be an issue if he handles the track."

Outlining his other main hopes, Mullins said: "Gaillard Du Mesnil looks like he'll stay the trip and he could have a big chance. He's another Grade 1 novice going for the National and after we saw Noble Yeats winning last year as a novice, maybe the profile of the National is going to change. He'd have every chance.

"Mr Incredible ran a great race at Warwick. I was very taken with that run, I loved the way he finished. I think he's got a lot of improvement in him. Off that sort of weight, he has to have a great chance.

"And Carefully Selected won the Thyestes which is a great Grand National trial. He did it well that day in Gowran. It takes a horse with a lot of stamina and jumping ability to win that race and he has every chance."

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Randox Grand National (5.15 Aintree, April 15)

William Hill: 10-1 Noble Yeats, 14 Corach Rambler, 16 Gaillard Du Mesnil, Longhouse Poet, Le Milos, 20 Any Second Now, Carefully Selected, Conflated, Delta Work, Galvin, Mr Incredible, 25 Capodanno, Hewick, Lifetime Ambition, Remastered, The Big Dog, 33 bar

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