Gordon Elliott to run eight in the Grand National - and he nominates his pick of the bunch who has 'been flying over the last few weeks'

Gordon Elliott will field eight of the 34 runners in the Randox Grand National and the three-time winner of the race firmly believes Delta Work is the best of his bunch. 

Elliott spoke to Aintree's clerk of the course Sulekha Varma on Wednesday morning and, with the prospect of two mainly dry days leading up to the world's most famous jumps race, he has decided to let Galvin take his chance. 

The only one of Elliott's entries who definitely will not be showing up on Saturday is topweight Conflated. He has been declared for Friday's Grade 1 My Pension Expert Melling Chase, meaning 2022 winner Noble Yeats will head the field and the weights will rise by 1lb. 

"I spoke with the Aintree clerk early on Wednesday and she seemed to think both Thursday and Friday would be mainly dry so you never know how much the place is going to dry up, especially if the wind picks up," said Elliott. 

"I'm going to give Galvin the benefit of the doubt and hopefully it will keep drying out for him. He's definitely got a chance if it does dry up a bit. He was bouncing before Cheltenham and it was a shame the cross-country race was cancelled. He seems to be in great form over the last few weeks as well."

Elliott would join Ginger McCain, Fred Rimell and George Dockeray on top of the Grand National roll of honour if one of his eight is successful and the trainer had no hesitation in nominating his best chance of doing so.

Delta Work (right) and Galvin: set to form part of Gordon Elliott's eight-horse squad for the Grand NationalCredit: Patrick McCann

When asked for the pick of his eight, Elliott said: "Delta Work. He's been flying over the last few weeks and I've been delighted with his work. He's really starting to come to hand now and he'll love the conditions. He would be the pick of mine, but there are a few others in there with chances too." 

Elliott first won the Grand National in 2007 with Silver Birch, which saw him shoot to fame a few weeks before he had even trained his first winner in Ireland. 

Tiger Roll landed the first of his National wins 11 years later and he followed up when justifying 4-1 favouritism in 2019, ridden on both occasions by Davy Russell. 

"You need luck in the National more than any other race and we've been lucky enough to win it three times," said Elliott. "They were magic days and hopefully we might win it again some day. 

"We'll never have another Tiger Roll, he was a horse of a lifetime, but I think there are a few in there this year capable of running big races for their owners. We're really looking forward to it."

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