Winning the Randox Health Grand National on Neptune Collonges in 2012 was very special. It’s every jockeys’ dream – when we start out riding racehorses – to even have a mount in the race. Then to win it – well that’s incredible.
Neptune Collonges was brilliant that day. He was magic. Leading up to it there was no pressure on me, he was relatively unfancied and the owner just wanted the horse to enjoy himself as it was his last run, win, lose or draw.
He jumped super, he got me out of an awful lot of trouble around there – and to stay on the way he did to catch Sunnyhillboy in the final strides was amazing.
I didn’t appreciate at the time what we’d done. You're racing the next day, straight back on with the work, and if I was ever lucky enough to win it a second time I’d enjoy and savour the moment a lot more.
My ride on Saturday is Valtor.
He was bought last year as a potential Grand National horse and the first time I saw him I was very surprised. He’s very small, about 15 hands, that’s smaller than Tiger Roll for example. I couldn’t believe it.
He started this season by winning very well at Ascot and it was lovely to see him do it but the handicapper shoved him up 15lb for that. With Bristol De Mai not running we have 11st 6lb to carry
It’s going to be a monumental effort to win with that burden. He has the engine to do it, he’s very talented, but I do worry about the weight.
His size around Aintree doesn’t concern me. I’ve ridden some big, scopey horses around there and they’ve given me horrible rides then I’ve partnered smaller ones before and they are much neater and accurate. They know how much scope they have and will get in close and dance around.
The big scopey ones can sometimes get themselves into trouble and a lot depends on the mental approach of the horse. I schooled Valtor over the National-style fences at home and he was brilliant, he danced over them. He’s an incredible little horse.
Of the others in the race I do like Rathvinden. He has the right profile. Willie Mullins’ horses are in great form, he’s a very good man to fine tune a horse for a big day and Rathvinden’s whole season has been based around this.
He'll run well - and obviously I hope Valtor does too.