Nicky Henderson is very much hoping that Hyland makes the cut for the 2025 Randox Grand National.
As it stands the Turgeon gelding is currently number 36 on the entry list, meaning he requires two horses to drop out to be assured of his place in the line-up for this year's renewal of the world's most famous jumps race at Aintree on April, 5.
But, should Hyland, who has won three of his six starts over fences, make it into the final field of 34 for the extended four and a quarter mile test, Henderson believes he could be the ideal type to finally end his National hoodoo.
Henderson said: “He has got to get in yet, but we are praying and hoping that he does get in. You know what my record is in the Grand National, pretty moderate.
“It would be nice to go into the race with things going right between now and then, and if he gets in, going there with something you could realistically say has a good chance.
“He is an out-and-out stayer, but a decent one at that, who wants good ground.”
Although running a novice chaser in the Grand National is a bold call, Henderson insists that everybody is behind his idea for the eight-year-old.
Henderson added: “It was my head to run him in the Grand National, but if I started saying I’m going to run a novice chaser in the Grand National they would start saying 'Henderson you are mad!'.
“I must admit, I was amazed that everybody totally agreed with me and said it was a good idea. In preparation for the race we plan to pop him over the Grand National-style fences in Lambourn on Thursday.”
While some questioned the switch of tactics aboard Hyland when he finished second in the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton on his most recent start, for Henderson it merely underlined the horse's versatility.
He said: “Normally he is up there, or he makes the running, as he did in the Grade One at Kempton Park at Christmas. I was pleased enough with his latest run as it was on soft ground and he was ridden from the back in the ruck.
“In those smaller-field races he often leads, but he doesn’t have to lead though in a big handicap.
“Given he was right in the ruck in his last race on ground that was soft enough for him it showed him to be very versatile which does help.”
Hyland was backed supported into 20/1 (from 25/1) with Paddy Power over the weekend, with some bookmakers making him as short as 16/1 for the big race.
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