The Randox Grand National Festival is upon us and has a slightly different feel this year.
Not away from the course. The Full House signs have gone up for Friday and Saturday, which is a tremendous achievement for The Jockey Club. This is Liverpool’s meeting, their party.
It’s a fixture that’s allowed to enjoy itself, free from the scrutiny Cheltenham finds itself under from the moment the doors close on the previous Festival. It is a feel-good three days and on the track one of the most improved meetings of recent years.
But this time, until the big race itself on Saturday, Wille Mullins isn’t playing ball. And you can blame/thank Dan Skelton for that. With the British title pushed out of his grasp for the first time in three years, the master trainer must now focus on domestic matters.
