Mike Cattermole: Vieux Lion Rouge Grand National tips

So, what will be the story behind the winner of the 2017 Randox Health Grand National?

Katie Walsh, supposedly written off with a broken arm 48 hours earlier, doing it for the girls? Will Paul Nicholls pull a rabbit out of the hat and save his trainer’s championship? Will Gigginstown get the winner again, ironically after all the handicapping controversy?

Can Nigel Twiston-Davies win a third? Will it be another one for Kim Bailey or Jonjo O’Neill? Perhaps it will be evergreen Noel Fehily’s day at last? Or will the popular Danny Cook gain wonderful redemption just two years after being banned for testing positive for cocaine?

Can Scotland win it for the first time since 1979? In which case, Peter Scudamore will finally win it in his role as assistant to Lucinda Russell. Or will his son Tom go out and emulate his grandfather Michael? 

The headline possibilities are endless and I am going to go with the Tom Scudamore angle and take Vieux Lion Rouge to do it and give David Pipe a second National winner.

Make no mistake, this is an open a National as I can recall but with Vieux Lion Rouge, we have a horse with plenty of (nice) experience of the Aintree fences, and one that has been kept fresh with this one race in mind. And, at the age of eight, he is approaching the peak of his powers.

That gives hope that he will last out the distance now after appearing not to stay when seventh to Rule The World last year; he had also faded in the 4m NH Chase at Cheltenham the time before.

But he seems a stronger horse this year and was a gutsy winner of the Becher Chase over these fences in December before putting up a career best in the Grand National Trial over three and a half miles at Haydock, when he forged home from Blaklion and hit the line strongly.

Blaklion is a likeable chaser who always does his best. He is also a former winner of the Grade One RSA Chase at Cheltenham and has a touch of class about him. I wish him well and hope that his lack of size doesn’t count against him. He is very tough.

The Last Samuri was my selection last year and only found one too good but the handicapper has hammered him for that and he has a tough task off top weight. 

Last time out, he was no match for Definitely Red at Doncaster and Brian Ellison’s gelding lines up in the form of his life. He is able to race off his old mark, too and would be carrying around 10lb more if the handicap was being framed today. That’s all positive but the negative is his jumping which can let him down.

More Of That is Barry Geraghty’s choice over Cause Of Causes and he has attracted support all week. He would have been bang there but for unseating at the last in the Irish Gold Cup but could never land a blow in the Gold Cup itself last month when he stayed on into sixth place. 

I have always been a fan of this horse but he has not been without his problems over the past two years or so and I am not sure that is a good thing.

A place and over three lengths in front of him at Cheltenham was Saphir Du Rheu who heads the Paul Nicholls team but I am not convinced he will be suited by a stamina test such as this one.

One For Arthur will be, however, and must be on the shortlist. A close fifth in the Becher Chase behind Vieux Lion Rouge (and now actually 4lb worse off), he took a while to warm up there but his jumping improved as the race unfolded. He then swept home in the Classic Chase at Warwick, again giving the impression that a thorough stamina test is what he needs. He is much respected so long as he doesn’t too far behind early on.

The drying ground may help Ucello Conti improve on his sixth last year when he appeared not to quite last home and he showed his liking for this course when fourth in the Becher in December, a neck in front of One For Arthur who opposes on 10lb better terms. He could be nursed into a place by former winning jockey Daryl Jacob.

Looking at some of those at bigger prices, the former Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere is capable off a very encouraging mark and has the assistance of dual winning jockey Leighton Aspell.

I am also intrigued as to why Thunder And Roses is more than double the price of Pleasant Company, given the pair were separated by only half a length in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February. 

Remember, Thunder And Roses won the Irish National in 2015 when beating stablemate and last year’s National hero Rule The World and is a standout 40-1 with SkyBet.

(Mouse Morris winning it for the second year running is another plausible headline). 

I am looking forward to seeing Finian’s Oscar in the Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle and he can prove he is indeed a Grade One performer at the chief expense of Messire Des Obeaux.

Yanworth was so disappointing in the Champion Hurdle and now tries three miles for the first time in the Ryanair Liverpool Hurdle. Many think this trip could be his bag but I will be happy just to watch him this time and suggest on the drying ground that Cole Harden could be worth each-way support.

Finally, conditional jockey David Noonan could have a day to remember as he has good rides in the opening and closing races. He is reunited with in-form and progressive Fountains Windfall who steps up in trip in the opening Gaskells Handicap Hurdle. 

So Celebre, who goes in the Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle, won very nicely at Ascot last week and looks to be improving fast.

SELECTIONS: 1.45 FOUNTAINS WINDALL, 2.25 FINIAN’S OSCAR, 3.00 CHARBEL, 3.40 STARCHITECT, 4.20 COLE HARDEN (EW), 5.15 1. VIEUX LION ROUGE 2. One For Arthur 3. Blaklion 4. Ucello Conti 5. Thunder And Roses, 6.15 SO CELEBRE