Moffatt gives Highland Lodge a fighting chance of fairytale triumph

It's a bit of a cliche, but there is always a story attached to a Grand National winner and if Highland Lodge triumphs on April 8, his will be one especially worth telling.

Initially with Emma Lavelle, Highland Lodge joined James Moffatt in the autumn of 2015 and won over the sport's most famous fences in the Becher Chase.

Grand National entries

That fuelled connections' dreams of Aintree, but he failed to make the cut for last year's race when strongly fancied.

Owned by Simon and Julie Wilson, whose son Patrick led up Highland Lodge for the Becher before dying of a brain tumour a year ago, the 11-year-old will make the line-up this time with handicapper Phil Smith giving him 8lb more than his proper mark, as a result of which he ranks 42nd in the list with 10st 6lb.

He again showed his relish for the National fences when second in this season's Becher and Moffatt is thrilled with his stable star.

He said: "Last year was tough to take, but on the plus side I know more about him. I feel he's improved – a lot of trainers will tell you similar – but I know this horse has. We have similar horses working with him and it's a totally different ball game."

Highland Lodge, whose jockey Henry Brooke survived a potentially life-threatening fall at Hexham in October, can be backed at 50-1 for the Randox Health-sponsored showpiece and Moffatt added: "He's a brute of a horse who needs a challenge. He's strange and I've never met a horse like him in my 30 years in racing. He attacks those fences, while he has a disrespect for regulation fences and doesn't even register hurdles.

"We work him very hard and when you think you've done enough you do more. He's a big horse and I think the National fences get him into a fluent rhythm – he is made for the race. I'm very happy with my game plan and very happy with my horse."