McConnell living the Grand National dream with Mullins cast-off Some Neck

The game may be cascading with change but John McConnell provides hope there will always be room for the small man in jump racing.

Anyone who buys a horse takes a chance but when McConnell poked his head under the bonnet of Some Neck he knew the odds were stacked against him.

Here was a horse with undoubted ability but myriad issues when it came to jumping. Slight problem, that, for National Hunt racing.

A sketchy jumper is one thing but rolling the dice on a horse Willie Mullins had decided no longer merited being in the squad is another.

Some Neck: narrow winner of the Cross Country in NovemberCredit: Edward Whitaker

Thankfully for McConnell, he saw things differently. “The first thing I’d say is it’s hard to get a horse rated that highly, so we were obviously very interested as soon as we saw he was for sale," he said.

"Willie was very good to us when it came to selling the horse. He was completely up front. The big thing about this horse is his jumping, but we were prepared to take a chance.”

He added: “I followed the horse throughout his career and even though he was clouting fences left, right and centre, he was always bang there at the business end. His win in the Grade 2 novice chase at Punchestown for Willie was extraordinary.”

Rolling the dice has paid off already on Some Neck. He has been revitalised by cross-country racing, winning at Cheltenham in November before finishing third to Tiger Roll at the festival last month.

Some Neck can be backed at odds of 40-1 for the Randox Grand National and McConnell is quietly confident his first runner in the race is not going there to make up the numbers.

He said: “It’s always been an ambition of mine to have a runner in the Grand National. It’s the race that captures the imagination and it’s a huge thrill for the yard. It’s also great for the owners and it’s not like he’s a no-hoper either. I actually think he could surprise a few people.”

McConnell added: “The first couple of miles are the most important with Some Neck. He tends to take warming up into his races but if he was still in the race heading out into the final circuit he could run very well.

“Simon Torrens will ride him. It will also be Simon’s first ride in the race and we actually had to check to see how many chase winners he’d ridden to make sure he would be able to ride him. He’s had a lot of winners but he’s only had 17 chase wins – thankfully it’s enough for him to ride in the race.”

Read more on the 2021 Grand National festival:

Watering to begin again on Monday as dry forecast poses challenges

O'Leary: Tiger Roll goes to Aintree and there will be no humble pie if he wins

Song For Someone to face top-class rivals in Aintree Hurdle next Thursday

Evan Williams turns to James Bowen for Grand National ride on Secret Reprieve

O'Neill confident about Cloth Cap's chances but his price is 'crackers'

Another Papillon? Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now primed for Grand National bid

Jamie Codd preparing to do lowest weight in 17 years on Irish National contender

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