Ciaran Gethings lands Grand National ride on Horantzau d'Airy at Aintree

Gethings is set to team up with Newmarket trainer Michael Keady, who is hoping new recruit Horantzau d'Airy could defy all odds (66/1 generally) at Aintree in a couple of weeks’ time.

Fledgling handler Keady, who sent out his first Flat runner at Southwell in December, has only saddled four hurdlers and no chasers in his name to this point but is targeting the most famous steeplechase of them all on April 5.

Keady has recently acquired the eight-year-old Horantzau d’Airy, who was formerly trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci prior to a 50,000 guineas move to British Flat racing’s HQ earlier this month.

Horantzau d’Airy won one hurdle race and twice over fences for previous connections and he was ninth behind fellow National hope Kandoo Kid in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November earlier this season.

Keady has revealed the horse, who needs just one other above him in the list to drop out in order to be guaranteed a run following the latest forfeit stage, has settled in well ahead of a tilt at the marathon contest, saying on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “We weren’t sure we were going to get in when we bought him, but obviously the idea behind buying him was to hopefully get into the Grand National. So I’m delighted that it looks like we are getting in now.

“He’s not just a one-race horse, he’s got some very good back form and even if he’s not to get into the National there’s a very good race there on the day of the National that he’d be eligible to run in.

“He’s very much a horse we can hopefully contest some of the bigger festivals going forward anyway.

"All I know about him really is what the Mullins stable let us know when he left, in that he’s a sound horse, he’s easy to train and he’s a good ride. Which we’ve certainly found since he’s joined us. He has had a wind op in the past and he’s worn a tongue-tie for his last few starts, so he’ll obviously retain that and hopefully that doesn’t prove to be an issue for him.

“I know that Willie was quotes saying he’s a better horse on better ground, which it looks like he’ll likely get in the Grand National. And he said he’d jump around a course like the National no problem so that’s good to hear from someone like Willie Mullins.

"We've had him in the yard a week now and he’s shown no issues. Hopefully we have a smooth passage into the National and he can run a nice race for us.

"Ciaran Gethings will ride him, he’s a friend of the owner’s (Jim Gill) and mine. He won the Topham last year as well so he knows the National course and over the fences. And he’s been in to ride him already and he’s very much involved in preparing him for the big day."

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