Emma Lavelle believes that De Rasher Counter has a realistic chance in Saturday’s Randox Grand National, as she bids to become the fourth woman this century to train the winner of the Aintree showpiece.
The 10-year-old was off the track for 489 days due to a tendon injury but shaped well for a long way when fourth on reappearance in the Grade Two Denman Chase at Newbury in February – delighting his connections in the process.
De Rasher Counter is set to race off the same mark he carried when winning the Ladbrokes Trophy in 2019 and a bullish Lavelle believes that he will have every chance in the world’s greatest steeplechase - provided he takes to the iconic fences.
She said: “He’s great, absolutely super. He’s had a great prep and he’s been away and had a nice gallop and we’ve schooled away from home with him so we couldn’t be happier.
“He had a tendon injury and the funny thing is the National has always been a race that we thought would suit him and it meant we could give him lots of time to get over the tendon injury and we did a lot of roadwork at the start of the year.
“Adam Wedge had him up and down hills at home in Wales and then he came back to us - the Denman Chase was the perfect prep run for him and that fitted the qualifications. That got him back and gave us a lovely amount of time afterwards to hopefully get him spot on for Aintree.
“It was beautiful ground at Newbury and it was our Gold Cup horses having a run against each other. De Rasher Counter travelled with them and jumped brilliantly and was still there to the back of the second last when he took a bit of a blow. That was great and then Tom (Bellamy) looked after him after that. He finished fourth and we were delighted with him.
“He’s on the same mark that he was on when he won a Ladbrokes Trophy with 149. Every horse has got to take to the fences and get some luck in-running, but we’d be very happy with how everything has gone to this point. He’s got as good a chance as any really.”
De Rasher Counter is untried over Aintree’s Grand National fences, but his trainer believes that he is the type to relish the jumping challenge.
She added: “He loves jumping, he absolutely winged the fences round Newbury the other day and we’ve spruced up our own fences at home and he’s schooled over them the other day.
“He doesn’t bat an eyelid at things like that, he’s one of those horses that just has a small touch of madness in there, so he’s kind of quite happy once he’s up and running – things don’t faze him. The only issue I’d have really is just to make sure we keep a lid on him during preliminaries.
“He’s got a touch of class about him and maybe has that little bit of pace that might count for plenty at Aintree.”
De Rasher Counter would only be Lavelle’s second runner in the Grand National, seven years after Court By Supreme was pulled-up on the second circuit.
And while things did not work out on that occasion for Lavelle, she explained that experiencing the race for herself had very much made a lasting impression on her and the team.
She said: “It’s a fantastic occasion and my first runner in the National was Court By Supreme, who led over the water jump and pulled up the fence after, so I was very excited for one circuit and then quickly that was extinguished. Hopefully that won’t be the same!
“Cheltenham is obviously fantastic, but it’s very serious and you feel like it’s your end of year exams, so to speak. Meanwhile I always view Aintree as like the end of year party and it just has a very different atmosphere to it.
“There’s big valuable races of course but I think Liverpool itself just has a buzz about it, so it’s always an exciting meeting to be a part of.
“It’s all exciting to this point, but as we get closer and closer to the race I’ll definitely be pacing!”
Lavelle could also be represented in the race by the runaway Classic Chase winner Eclair Surf, who was last seen finishing second in the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February.
However, the eight year old would need a lot of luck to get a run due to being number 47 in the weights currently and his trainer admitted that there could be other days for him.
She said: “He’s eight years old so there’s no doubt that he definitely has time on his side as far as the Grand National is concerned. What it does show you though is how tough it is to even get a run in the race, as he’s rated 143.
“With that in mind you sort of feel that if we do get in we’ll take our chance and if we don’t then hopefully we’ll have a crack next year.”
Meanwhile, Lavelle revealed that she will be sending a small but select squad to Aintree next week. That team will include the improving Killer Clown, who will take his chance in next Friday’s Randox Topham Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences after winning a valuable handicap in really good style at Kempton Park last month.
She commented: “Killer Clown is likely to run in the Topham and the only way he wouldn’t is if they got a lot of rain.
“I definitely hope he’ll enjoy it. Touch wood he’s pretty solid with his jumping and he’s probably better on flatter tracks. He is just a really lovely straightforward horse and I think if he did take to it you’d have to hope he could go and run a big one.
“Paisley Park is going to go to Punchestown, as it’s too sharp a track really and they can always just seem to get away from him. Hang In There will probably run in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle (the opening Orrell Park Handicap Hurdle on Ladies Day) as long as the ground is alright and that will probably be it.”
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