My main fancies are highlighted in bold – other horses mentioned are well worth considering and should be treated as dangers to the main selection.
Fairyhouse
12.55 Trainer Gordon Elliott nominated His Excellency as his horse to follow this season in an interview. He didn’t find much when push came to shove at Down Royal and has something to prove now. A winner on the flat over 10 furlongs at Leopardstown he is a half brother to Leg Spinner.
1.25 A winner of a bumper and a maiden hurdle Staying Article then sustained an injury. He will go over fences in due course.
2.55 Limerick bumper winner Rourke’s Cross was only beaten a neck on his hurdles bow at Wexford.
Hexham
1.40 King’s Grace was an impressive winner of a national hunt flat race at Bangor last season before suffering from a tumour on his foot. He is well thought of by his trainer and could well make a winning debut over hurdles here.
Warwick
1.30 Loch Ba was a slightly fortunate winner at Kempton. His trainer thinks he will need 3 miles and will be better on soft ground.
2.00 Gospel Preacher ran 3 times in bumpers finishing runner up twice. Hunter’s Lodge has been the subject of some good reports.
2.30 Only 3 runners but a tricky puzzle nonetheless. Tonic Mellysse was a winner of a bumper and over hurdles in France and won at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr for Paul Nicholls. Beaten into second when returning over hurdles giving weight away the 3rd in that race has won since. Goes over fences for the first time here. Tatispout won at Ludlow when most of her rivals failed to complete but was a beaten odds on favourite here last time. She tends to be too keen and may find it hard to settle in this small field. Tornado D’Estruval is by the same sire as Sprinter Sacre and won over hurdles at Vichy before joining Nicky Henderson.
3.00 Basil Fawlty showed some promise on his bumper debut at Kempton but made no show on his seasonal reappearance in a bumper at Wincanton earlier this month. The Pretender has form in bumpers in France.
From the archives
During the First World War the Grand National was not run at Aintree. A “substitute” National was run at Gatwick racecourse for the 3 years 1916, 1917 and 1918. In 1916 it was called The Racecourse Association Steeplechase and next two renewals were called The War National Steeplechase. Although modelled on the Aintree fences there were less fallers which seems to indicate that the obstacles were a bit easier.
The 1918 race was won by Poethlyn, ridden by Ernie Piggott, grandfather of Lester. The same horse and jockey combination won in 1919 when the race was restored to its traditional home at Aintree.
Turf trivia
On 22/12/1940 Manchester racecourse suffered a direct hit from German bombers.
ahorse 