'Hopefully we'll get to Aintree next year' - Famous Bridge almost certain to miss National cut despite toughing out Trial win

You can't keep a good man down for long. On one of his first visits to the racecourse since suffering a bad fall on the gallops, trainer Nicky Richards was smiling again after Famous Bridge stayed on strongest to win the Grand National Trial.

Carrying the esteemed colours of Hemmings Racing, Famous Bridge looked a prime candidate for Aintree and was cut to 50-1 (from 100), although connections are resigned to not making the cut.

With the nine-year-old 80th on the list for the 34-runner National, Richards turned his attention to the Cheltenham Festival and Scottish Grand National following the 6-1 shot's three-length success over 11-4 favourite Apple Away.

Famous Bridge unseated when sent off joint-favourite in the race last year, but he jumped soundly in first-time cheekpieces here and answered Sean Quinlan's every call. 

"He's always been a grand horse, a good stayer who stays all day," said Richards. "The cheekpieces were just to sharpen him up as he's had a lot of hard races on very soft ground, and I was glad it was a bit better ground there.

"He'll miss the cut for the National this time, which is a shame as we'd love to go to Aintree. Hopefully it might be next year."

Richards, who turns 69 this month, has been on the long road to recovery after breaking his shoulder, pelvis and ribs in a fall on the gallops at his Greystoke stable near Penrith in November.

The popular trainer has bounced back from similar injuries before and you would not put it past him getting back on a horse.

"It was slow but it's coming along grand. I've still got a few aches and pains, but that's to be expected," he said. 

"No doubt I'll get on one some day; it's our life. You wouldn't believe the amount of messages I had and I'd like to thank everyone."

Nicky Richards: on the mend after gallops fallCredit: Edward Whitaker

Famous Bridge, who was winning at the track for the third time, finished fourth in the Ultima at last year's festival, and a return to Cheltenham is on the cards.

"He'll probably go there now," Richards said. "He ran a good race there last year and is probably just coming to himself. He could be one for the Scottish National later on, but he wouldn't want the ground too fast." 

Mick Meagher, the late Trevor Hemmings' longstanding racing manager, recalled when The Last Fling carried the silks to victory in this race back in 2000.

That winner was a regular in the National and it is hoped Famous Bridge will get his chance at Aintree one day.

"It's not the biggest surprise because he's a grand horse who likes this place, and he did everything right," said Meagher. 

"He'll go for the Ultima again and you'd love to run him in a soft-ground Scottish National."

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