Leading Scottish owner Jimmy Fyffe has described the changes made to the Randox Grand National course as positive and believes Cooper’s Cross has a big chance of moving closer to an outing in the world’s most famous Jump race in the BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.
Last season businessman Fyffe endured one of his most difficult days on the racetrack after Hill Sixteen, who he owned in partnership with Scott Townshend, fell fatally at the first fence in the 2023 Grand National.
Following a review of the race it was announced last month by The Jockey Club that a suite of changes would be implemented for the 2024 Randox Grand National to make the race safer, including reducing the field size from 40 to 34 runners and moving the first fence closer to the start.
Fyffe, who later celebrated Grade Two glory on the same card with Florida Dreams in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, has said that he will continue to support what he describes is the "best race in the world".
And Fyffe’s ambitions of winning the Aintree showpiece could edge closer to reality at the weekend should the Stuart Coltherd-trained-trained eight-year-old land the two miles five-furlong contest over the unique fences, subject to the Grand National course passing a 9am inspection on Friday.
Fyffe said: “You couldn't have written the script at Aintree on Grand National day last season. For that to happen to Hill Sixteen was gutting as although he had unseated once, he had never fallen in his life.
“For Florida Dreams to then win a Grade Two was great, but I couldn’t take it all in at first as it was such a difficult day. It was a crazy day and that is the ups and downs of horse racing.
“The Jockey Club has tried to make things a lot safer in the Grand National and it is a positive thing that they have done that.
“The Grand National is the best race in the world for me. If I ever have a horse that is capable of jumping those fences then they will be going for the Grand National.
“Cooper’s Cross will be aimed at the Grand National if we can get him up to a rating to get into the race, but the Grand Sefton has been his early season target from day one. I think he has got a great chance at the weekend.”
It will be a second appearance over the Grand National fences for Cooper’s Cross. On his previous attempt over them, he fell four out after being hampered when travelling well in the Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Handicap Chase in April.
And having shown his appetite for a stamina test after finishing second in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on his final start last season Fyffe, who won the 2008 Grand Sefton with Endless Power, hopes this is the start of an exciting journey with the Getaway gelding.
Fyffe, who owns Cooper’s Cross with his brother Scott Fyffe and friend Billy Robinson, continued: “I like the Grand Sefton and I won it in 2008 with Endless Power. I try and aim horses at the race every year.
“He was going great in the Topham. Ryan (Mania), who was riding him, said he basically got brought down. He felt like he had loads of horse underneath him and we were gutted with that.
“We went for the Scottish National over four miles after the Topham and he ran a great race in that up at Ayr. We actually thought he was going to win it jumping the second last coming on the wide outside. He is a good jumper, and we know he gets those long distances, so he is an ideal horse to go for the Grand National. If we get him up to the ideal rating then he will definitely go there.
“He has been schooling well and he will like the ground at Aintree so we are quite hopeful for this weekend. He is a nice horse, and we are quite excited about him this season.”
Cooper’s Cross is currently trading at 7/1 with sponsor BoyleSports for Saturday’s contest.
Before Fyffe makes the journey down to Merseyside he will have the small matter of watching his beloved Dundee United, where he is a director, bid to extend their lead at the top of the Cinch Championship when taking on Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park on Friday night.
He added: “I will be down there cheering Cooper’s Cross on, but I’ve got the Dundee United game on Friday at Dunfermline Athletic so I will be going to that first then heading down to Aintree.
“We are doing well this season and hopefully we will win again on Friday and continue our push to get back into the Scottish Premiership. We haven’t lost a game in the league so far this season, but there is still a long way to go, and we need to keep on pushing to make sure we get back up with the big boys again.”
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