Graham Clark and Nick Seddon get the reaction from the trainers of the leading Randox Grand National fancies after the weights were published.
Walsh: Second needs more
Ted Walsh admits Any Second Now faces a much stiffer task to win the Randox Grand National this year, 12 months after finishing third to Minella Times.
The handicapper has allocated a weight of 11st 2lb for the JP McManus-owned gelding at Aintree in April, but that could rise further still if higher-rated horses are pulled out.
The trainer said: “I knew he was going to get a few pounds more as he was third in the National last year. He was a bit unlucky then - whether he’d have beaten the winner I’m not sure but he’d definitely have been closer.
“Of course I’d always be happier with less weight and I’d be happier with less than 11 stone but it is what it is. The only problem is if the top weights don’t run and we end up around 11st 6lb or 11st 7lb - that would be tough.
“I’d be hoping for as good a run as last year but the weights aren’t as favourable this time. Our biggest problem now is making sure he gets there and we’ll worry about everything else after that.
Explaining the decision he said: “He might run next weekend in the Red Mills at Gowran Park. Either that or we’ll go to Naas or Fairyhouse after that. He won over two miles last year and the year before and he’ll run over either two miles or two and a half miles before Aintree.
“I don’t know if running over shorter distances helps to sharpen them up, but they’re two good tracks. There’s not a lot of opportunities - you could run in the Bobbyjo Chase but that’s nearly three and a quarter miles so I don’t really want to do that. He’s high in handicaps and you want to get him there fit and well, so two miles doesn’t do any harm.
Leopardess chance excites Longsdon
Charlie Longsdon admitted he is “very excited” at the prospect of Snow Leopardess bidding to become the first grey mare ever to win great race.
She has already captured the hearts of racing fans after returning to the track in November 2019 having given birth to a foal during a two year absence from the track.
This season she has won all three of her starts, including the Unibet Becher Chase over the Grand National fences in December and a Listed mares’ chase at Exeter on Sunday (February 13th).
And now the 10 year old, who is owned by the Fox-Pitt family, is being primed for a tilt at the most famous steeplechase in the world and the chance to become the first grey mare to win the race in its 174th running.
After learning that Snow Leopardess has been allocated an initial weight of 10st 3lb for the contest, trainer Longsdon said: “You certainly hope to get in being number 57 on the list as it is normally about 70-odd that gets in. We’ve got to keep our fingers crossed but it is all very exciting. Running off 10st 3lbs would be some weight but it won’t be that unfortunately. She will still be under 11st though so it will still be a nice light weight.
“Her story with her being a mum is the sort of story I can see people really latching on to over the next couple months. I can see people over the next couple of months talking about the Grand National runner with a child.
“You only have to see on Twitter the number of people who are getting excited and getting involved. You look through all the people who message you and tweet you and it is amazing how many people do get in touch. It is all positive and we are all excited.”
Unlike most of her rivals Snow Leopardess has had a recent run and despite battling tough weather conditions, Longsdon was delighted with both her performance and how she is recovering from the exertions of her race at Exeter on Sunday.
He added: “She has come out of her race at Exeter fine and has been out in the field yesterday so everything is all good. It is going to be a nerve-wracking couple of months.
“It was horrible conditions at Exeter and real hard work. She probably had a harder race than we wanted to but the conditions made that happen. We can sit back now though and prepare her for the Grand National.”
Snow Leopardess also boasts winning form over the famous Grand National fences and Longsdon believes the unique obstacles bring out the best in his stable star.
He explained: “There is no doubt she loved those fences. The bigger the jump she thrives on. She was just idling in the Becher so the trip will be no issue.”
Henderson seeking to break duck
Nicky Henderson believes Caribean Boy could be his best chance “in a long time” to win the Randox Grand National and end his 43-year wait to land the world’s greatest steeplechase.
The Seven Barrows trainer saddled 20/1 runner-up Zongalero in his first ever Grand National in 1979 but has still not managed to go one better in a race he wants to win “more than anything”.
Handicapper Martin Greenwood has rated Caribean Boy 149 with a weight of 10st 6lbs, guaranteeing him a spot in the race at number 35 on the list for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
Henderson said: “He’s guaranteed a run so that’s all that matters. It was a really good run at Kempton last month and the plan is to go back there in a fortnight’s time. He is in at Ascot on Saturday in the Swinley Chase but I suspect we’ll wait a week.
“We’re running him again after the weights announcement which is a bonus and he’s always looked like a horse who’d wanted this, so we’re looking forward to going there with him.He will be one of the more likely horses I’ve had for the race for a long time.”
On his other entry in the race, Henderson added: “There’s every chance that Chantry House (11st 3lb) will be right at the top at the weights, but I’d say it’s a million to one that he runs, personally.
“At the moment he’s going to the Cheltenham Gold Cup and he’s not going to do both – it would be an almighty ask.”
Three runners could carry Hemmings' silks
Three horses could line up in the famous yellow, green and white colours of the late Trevor Hemmings in this year’s race as those responsible for his racing operation continue his legacy.
Known affectionately as ‘Mr Aintree’, no owner has won the world’s greatest steeplechase more times than Hemmings – his three winners making him the joint most successful in the race’s history.
Hemmings passed away aged 86 in October of last year and now his Racing Manager, Mick Meagher, hopes that one of the horses entered in his name for the April 9th showpiece can provide a poignant victory.
And while Many Clouds in 2015, Ballabriggs in 2011 and Hedgehunter in 2005 all brought their owner great joy, Meagher reveals that a victory for the Venetia Williams-trained Cloudy Glen would be especially significant as the first of Hemmings’ homebred horses to triumph in the 4m 2 1/2f contest.
He said “He’s 6lbs higher than when he won the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury, so we can’t complain at that, though he needs to come back in form a bit as his runs since have been a bit disappointing.
“He’s a good jumper and he won’t back off those fences, that’s for sure! He’ll likely run in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival.”
Last year’s 11-2 favourite, Cloth Cap, is also expected to line up in the prestigious Aintree race, for which he has been given a weight of 10st 4lb.
Meagher added: “We’re probably where we should be really. We won the Ladbrokes Trophy (in 2020) off a mark of 136, so we’ve got the 11lbs for winning that race by 10 lengths. In theory you’d have to be happy because if he came back to that kind of form, he’d have to have a great chance. Ground is important with him - he doesn’t want soft ground.
“We’ll likely head to Kelso again before the National or perhaps to Doncaster, wherever the ground is the most suitable.”
The third Hemmings entry is Deise Aba, trained by Philip Hobbs, who has an allocated weight at this stage of 10st 2lb.
Meagher said of the nine year old: “You’d think he’d get in and he’ll go straight to Aintree. He’s one of those horses that’s got loads of ability but doesn’t always show it.
“He’s more consistent this year and the Welsh National was probably too heavy for him. He’s just one of those horses who might take to the place and if he does he’ll run a big race.”
Tizzard has best-ever chance
Colin Tizzard will go into his final Randox Grand National as a trainer with his best ever chance of winning the race, according to his son and assistant trainer Joe.
Among his entries are Grade One-winning pair Lostintranslation and Fiddlerontheroof and Joe said: “We’ve never really had horses in it that have been a sensible price or quite good enough. They were often just going for a bit of pot luck.
“We ran Joe Lively in it one year and he was 10th at the end of my career as a jockey, among others. These are two of our best horses on ratings and they could end up having major chances in it.
“Lostintranslation will run in the Ascot Chase this weekend. For a horse that has finished third in the Gold Cup and won on his comeback run this season he has dropped to 157.
“We had a bad season last season with him but I think that is a mark he is capable off of. He has always been a good jumper. We will see if this tempts the owners. I imagine he will go to Cheltenham first but if he comes out of that really well I imagine he will take his chance.
“It all depends on what happens Saturday regarding his target at Cheltenham as alongside the Gold Cup entry he has also got a Ryanair entry. If he went and ran a blinder over 2m 5f at Ascot on Saturday I have kept all options open as I want to do best by the horse as he is a 10 year old now this is his last chance to take on the best. We have got all bases covered and I’m really pleased with where he is and Saturday will decide where we go.”
“This has been the plan for Fiddlerontheroof since the Ladbrokes Trophy where he had a hard enough race. It was going to be too soon to go for a King George, then we talked about it and we thought he could have a live chance in a Grand National.
“We waited until the weights came out before we decided to run him again. We will run him at Ascot on Saturday in the three mile handicap chase. If he runs a massive race in that then we have to make decisions as to whether we have a pop at a Gold Cup, which I don’t think he is a million miles out of getting placed in, or this year we say ‘let's wait and go for a Grand National’, or try and attempt both.
“He has only had two runs this season and we have saved the petrol for this Spring. The boys are keen to have a crack at whatever really. This Saturday will be the deciding factor.
“I’m sure off 155 he would be competitive and he is a lovely jumper. He ran a blinder in the Ladbrokes, still has age on his side and I think he could just be improving a bit. I don’t think the owners would be afraid to run the two horses in the same races and it is not a problem we have had in the past at the top end. They are great boys and are right up for having horses in these mega races."
Bobby has 'ideal weight'
Nigel Twiston-Davies reckons Good Boy Bobby has been given the “absolutely ideal” weight for a tilt at this year’s Randox Grand National.
The Cotswolds-based trainer is trying to win the iconic race for a third time, 20 years after his last success with Bindaree.
The nine-year-old had not been targeted at Aintree but after winning the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day connections had a rethink.
After discovering handicapper Martin Greenwood has allocated a weight of 10st 7lb, Twiston-Davies explained: “That weight sounds absolutely ideal. We didn’t really have a Grand National campaign on our mind as he had been a bit disappointing last season but he has really come back to himself this season.
“When he romped home last time at Wetherby is when we started to think about the Grand National. We were always hopeful that he would hold on at Wetherby despite plenty of others appearing to be going well around him.
“You only have to look at his form to see he was good from the start. He was brilliant in his bumpers and novice hurdles. He has always been good.
“The National fences aren’t quite the same as they used to be so I can’t see him having any problems over them and he is bred for the trip.”
Bailey in dark over Two For Gold chance
Kim Bailey admits he has no idea if Two For Gold will be suited to Aintree’s Randox Grand National but believes his battling qualities and consistency on the track make him a “fun” contender for this year’s race.
Bailey, who trains near Cheltenham, knows all about the attributes needed to win a Grand National after saddling Mr Frisk to victory in 1990.
But he explained: “Is Two For Gold an ideal National horse? I simply don’t know. He has got an ideal profile though and has won over three miles. He is a two and a half mile horse and that was always the old fashioned saying that you wanted a two and a half mile horse for the Grand National.
“He didn’t do much wrong last season. He never wins by very far but he has won 10 out of his 19 starts so he has a pretty good record.
“He had to show plenty of guts last time, though he is a quirky individual. He was off the bridle early on and he didn’t look happy about life, then he goes and passes one and suddenly he gets going. Once he gets into a battle he doesn’t often get beaten.
“It was a complete repeat of what he did at Doncaster early in the season. I never know quite what to expect of him. He won two bumpers though so he has always shown plenty of ability from early on.
“It would be a nice weight for him to carry in the National if he gets there but he wants soft ground. Anything faster than that would be against him.
“The owners were quite surprised I gave him the entry. We talked about it at the beginning of the year and that is why we ran him there last year in the Topham to see how he got on.
“We walked away from it thinking he didn’t run very well but he completely missed the break and they had two false starts and the whole thing was an absolute disaster. He jumped them all well until the Canal Turn until David came off him.
“He is not a Cheltenham horse and it is hard to find races for him so a Grand National could fall into quite a fun situation to have a go at.”
Bailey has also entered El Presente for this year’s race and after the handicapper gave him a weight of 10st 4lb, he said: “We talked about the Grand National last season so it has been in the pipeline for 18 months.
“He has always been a good jumper. He is a happier horse going right-handed but we are running him in three weeks’ time to see how he handles Doncaster.
“He definitely wants good ground and the worry is if he we get soft ground at Doncaster he will miss that out and I’m slightly stuck as to where we go.
“We’ve not run him on purpose to make sure he didn’t come down the weights and miss out on getting in, hence why he hasn’t run since the Badger Beer. He ran very well that day at Wincanton but this has been his aim for a while.”
