Full crowd to savour National course delights as Grand Sefton takes up new slot

A full crowd will be in attendance for a race over the famous National fences at Aintree on Saturday for the first time in nearly two years as the Betway Grand Sefton Chase takes up its new place on the calendar.

Previously run on Becher Chase day in December, the 2m5f handicap chase has been brought forward a month following discussions with trainers and the race attracted 22 confirmations on Monday, including last season's Midlands National winner Time To Get Up and ante-post favourite Caribean Boy.

The last time Aintree opened its gates in full for a race over the unique course was in December 2019 when Walk In The Mill won the Becher and Hogan's Height landed the Grand Sefton.

As a result of the pandemic, the Grand National was cancelled in 2020 and staged behind closed doors last season, although there was a limited crowd of 2,000 at Aintree on Becher Chase day last year.

Course officials are looking forward to the Grand Sefton boosting a raceday previously headlined by the 2m4f Betway Hurdle.

"It's been an ambition for a while to move the race and it's great to do it," said clerk of the course Sulekha Varma. "It used to be a bit of an afterthought and it's great it's got its own stage. We're confident it's a good move for the race and the entries and confirmations prove that.

"It gives the whole fixture more of a narrative and trainers an extra opportunity to try their horses over the fences. Hopefully we'll see some Grand National runners out of it again."

Time To Get Up, who is a best-priced 25-1 chance for the Randox Grand National, is set to be Jonjo O'Neill's sole representative after the trainer took Annie Mc out of the Grand Sefton at the five-day stage.

Time To Get Up, who will need a new jockey as O'Neill's son Jonjo Jr is out injured until at least mid-December, is a general 8-1 shot for the Grand Sefton in a market headed by Caribean Boy at 6-1 and Cat Tiger and Senior Citizen at 7-1.

Last season's Grand National-winning trainer Henry de Bromhead has left in Spyglass Hill, while 2019 winner Hogan's Height also stands his ground.

Nicky Henderson is set to be represented in the race by Morning Vicar, priced at a general 16-1, and said: "I would think Morning Vicar will go to Aintree and Falco Blitz will probably go Badger Beer. Caribean Boy, we're tossing up between Aintree and the Paddy Power.

"Morning Vicar will love it there. He got knocked over in the Topham, by Caribean Boy, typically enough. He jumped on top of him."

Following heavy rain on Merseyside, the ground at Aintree was on Monday described as soft, heavy in places on the National course and soft on the Mildmay and hurdle courses.

Varma said: "It looks like we've got more rain coming through tonight and tomorrow, but after that it looks largely dry on Thursday and Friday and we might see the ground improve if we get a few dry days before racing."

Grand Sefton betting

Betway: 11-2 Caribean Boy, 13-2 Cat Tiger, 7 Senior Citizen, Time To Get Up, 10 A Toi Phil, Hogan's Height, 12 Spyglass Hill, 14 Five Star Getaway, 16 bar

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