'He'll be really well prepared' - Santini on course for first Grand National run

The Randox Grand National has long been thought of as a race tailor-made for Santini's copper-bottomed stamina and the popular staying chaser has been declared on target for the Aintree marathon next month.

Trainer Polly Gundry has described the prospect of having a runner in the world's most famous chase, following on from Santini's eighth-placed finish in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as an "out-of-body experience".

She took charge of the 2020 Gold Cup runner-up at her small Devon yard in preparation for this season after owner-breeders Richard and Lizzie Kelvin-Hughes decided to switch the ten-year-old from Nicky Henderson in the hope of rekindling the fire.

On his third run in the Gold Cup last week, Santini was prominent until losing his position four out and came home well adrift, but he has come out of the race in good form and is set to tackle the National fences for the first time on April 9.

Polly Gundry: 'It'll be a bit of an out-of-body experience'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"He's come out of the Gold Cup really well and is quite fresh at home," said Gundry. "The plan is to do a good bit of schooling and jumping over different things with him as we want to run in the National, and he doesn't like surprises.

"Horses having their first run over the National fences don't have the best record but not many people have got my background where they'll school horses over cross-country fences like I will. Hopefully, we'll iron out that element of surprise and he'll take to it. He'll be really well prepared and he wants a longer trip these days, so it should suit him well.

"We're looking forward to it. It will be my first entry at the Aintree festival and he was my first entry at the Cheltenham Festival too. It'll be a bit of an out-of-body experience."

2022 Grand National: who heads the betting for Aintree's famous steeplechase?

Santini is a best-priced 50-1 chance for the National with Irish contenders Delta Work, Any Second Now and Escaria Ten 10-1 co-favourites with some firms.

Snow Leopardess on track for Aintree

Becher Chase winner Snow Leopardess is the shortest-priced British hope at 14-1 generally and trainer Charlie Longsdon believes his mare can give the market leaders something to think about.

"We're the favourite of the English but we've still got to beat the Irish, but you never know," he said. "She's the one mare they'll all be looking at because she jumped the fences so well last time. She'll definitely love a little bit of rain, but the racecourse will want it to be on the slow side of good for safety reasons."

Snow Leopardess will complete her main preparation for the race in Lambourn on Friday alongside another National contender from another yard.

Longsdon explained: "She worked on Tuesday and goes to Lambourn to jump the National-style fences under Aidan Coleman and I think Ben Pauling is bringing Kildisart to come and get a lead off us.

"She takes a lot of work and we've been able to do that with her this season. We just want to make sure she's happy to go and attack the fences like she did in the Becher and that will be most of her hard work done."

Randox Grand National racecard and betting

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