'It’s going to be a mammoth task' - Emmet Mullins pragmatic as Noble Yeats bids to claim back-to-back Nationals

Trainer Emmet Mullins thinks Noble Yeats faces a "mammoth task" in his bid to land back-to-back Grand National wins, but reported the eight-year-old to be in fine form following his fourth-placed finish in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

A general 8-1 shot to repeat last season's success, the 167-rated chaser will have to carry 11st 11lb to victory if he is to emulate the likes of Tiger Roll and Red Rum by winning consecutive Grand Nationals.

The shock 50-1 winner of last year's race while still only a novice, Noble Yeats became the first seven-year-old to win the Aintree showpiece since 1940 when scoring under Sam Waley-Cohen last April. 

Noble Yeats ran on well to be beaten 15 lengths by Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup after being outpaced for much of the race, and Mullins said: "He has come out of the Gold Cup very well. He looks great. If he hadn’t run in the Gold Cup I would be saying I need to work him this week, so it’s all systems go for the National.

"It’s going to be a mammoth task to carry that weight, but we know he likes the course and stays the trip so that’s two big ticks to have. 

"He ran a good race at Cheltenham, he galloped all the way to the line and the National trip looks to be definitely in his favour."

Corbetts Cross (left) ducks out at the final flight in the Albert BartlettCredit: Ryan Pierse

Mullins said his promising novice hurdler Corbetts Cross could be finished for the season. The JP McManus-owned six-year-old has won four times in a productive season including a Grade 2 at Naas, and was still travelling well in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham when he ducked right and ran out at the last hurdle.

Mullins said: "It was just one of those things at Cheltenham and we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m not sure we'll see him again this season. I ran him at Naas not knowing whether we would be going to Cheltenham or not, but we decided to head there and it nearly paid off. We are in a different position now so we’ll have to gather our thoughts and reassess."

Filey Bay was another runner for the trainer who put up a good show at Prestbury Park, backing up his runner-up effort in the Betfair Hurdle when finishing third in the County Hurdle despite some jumping errors.

Mullins said: "Filey Bay ran a stormer in the County when his jumping just let him down in the middle part of the race. He’s creeping up the handicap all the time without getting his head in front, which is a bit frustrating."

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