Our man at the track sets the scene for Saturday's Randox Grand National. Will the big guns dominate again?
Ladies’ Day at a sun-drenched Aintree. A packed crowd, party atmosphere, whatever black clouds may circle over the sport of horse racing right now, they’re not going to be spotted around here today.
Saturday is another day though, the biggest in the racing calendar. But of all the questions that surround the Randox Grand National, the one which seems to dominate most minds among racing professionals is 'has the romance of the race died?'
When I recall the fivers I parted with during my lockdown breakdown, the best by some way was the one that snared a DVD copy of the film Champions. Aldaniti's win in 1981 is carved into Aintree folklore still as it was the national psyche at the time.
But gradually, and inevitably, the race has evolved. Changes to the course and set-up have placed less of an emphasis on jumping.
Prize-money has reached £1million. The fear factor of the fences has gone, and the big guns come out to play.
Last year I Am Maximus, a horse with a Grade One backstory, won for Willie Mullins and JP McManus. The champion trainer runs six this time around and five have obvious chances.
Of the last five Nationals, 16 of the 20 horses to finish in the first four had run in at least one top-flight race during their career.
This year calls have again been made to limit the firepower of the, well, superpowers.
Ed Chamberlin, who will be hosting his biggest programme of the year on Saturday, doesn’t go that far, but does share the concern that the lottery element has gone from the National.
“In the build-up to Saturday I’ve done a number of interviews, from the James Martin Show to the Sports Agents with Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman, and I keep being asked has the Grand National lost its magic?," he said.
“I don’t think it has. It’s a different race, it had to evolve, it had to be different, but if I had one wish for the big race on Saturday it would be to have a story, a real, romantic story win the race which will connect with the wider audience that watches the Grand National.
“Because this is still the one race that goes far beyond racing.”
Daryl Jacob, successful aboard Neptune Collonges in 2012, fears the days of the old warriors, the small operations with their one Aintree horse, are gone and unlikely to come back.
“It’s very different. I thought the amateurs in the Foxhunters' were going very quick on Thursday, it almost looked like they were hurdling the fences. It’s all about speed now,” he said.
"They need class too, that’s what will see you through. You need speed and a class horse and personally, even watching on Thursday, a really fast jumper.
“Neptune Collonges and Bristol De Mai wouldn’t have coped with a modern National. They wouldn’t have had the speed to go round there, they’d have been too slow, too clean a jumper of the fences. You need an I Am Maximus, a Tiger Roll, a Hewick, it will really suit him actually. They’re the type of horses you need now.”
But there are still stories there if you dig around.
JP McManus knows exactly what type of horse you need. He has six of them on Saturday as he bids to become the first owner to win the race four times. Go on, split them for us JP, please. But you know he won’t.
“I wish I could but I’m quite hopeful they’ll all run well, I Am Maximus has been here before and done it. If he shows the same enthusiasm this year and gets round safely he should be there or thereabouts.
“He has a bit of class, a lot of class."
That's what we get.
Of the Mullins sextet the story would be Nick Rockett winning under his son, Patrick.
The rider said: “I’ve dreamt about it alright, since I was very young. I remember reading books about the history of the Grand National going back to Lottery, The Lamb, the first dual winner, then you get to Reynoldstown, Troytown. It’s the history of the race that I enjoy.
“David and Emmet have got there and Danny and myself are scrambling to get our names on it as well. If it could happen, it would be a dream."
I don’t know if Paul Nicholls is a romantic or even a dreamer, I suspect underneath he probably is, but he’s heading into Saturday’s race full steam ahead. He runs five and the lull of the winter is turning into a brighter, warmer spring for the Ditcheat team. Caldwell Potter was a Grade One winner on Friday.
When it was pointed out that victory in the National would at least make the trainers’ championship a contest for the closing weeks, he roared: “It would, bring it on!”
And there's a twist here, too. One of the Nicholls quintet is Threeunderthrufive, a rare outside ride for Harry Skelton who could cap a week of weeks on Saturday but in the process throw open a door his brother Dan thought he had slammed shut straight after Cheltenham.
The Hewick story has many heart-warming chapters, and the odd dark one too. But he’d still be something to celebrate.
Training the Gold Cup and Grand National winner in the same season used to be a thing of legend, now it’s seemingly commonplace but Gavin Cromwell has three significant darts to throw as he bids to follow Henry De Bromhead and Willie Mullins onto that particular roll of honour.
He can even afford to leave the Gold Cup winner resting up back at home.
Jonjo O’Neill, everyone likes Jonjo, well he could train the winner with Monbeg Genius or watch his son Jonjo Junior win it in the saddle aboard Iroko. A penny for the master of Jackdaws Castle’s thoughts if they jump the last upsides.
And Nicky Henderson, in the autumn of his training career, has as good a chance as he has had for many years now in the shape of Hyland as he tries to scratch the one remaining itch in his remarkable career. He’s Matt Brocklebank’s Value Bet selection and don’t forget there's the columnist who found Noble Yeats at a time when the stats men had reached early for the red pen.
And that’s probably the crux of the matter. Ultimately, for most people, I’d imagine, the real feelgood story when it comes to the National is backing the winner.
You can afford romance when you have change for the game.
It’s Perceval Legallois, Minella Cocooner and Grangeclare West for me. Three horses trained in Ireland, by powerhouse stables.
Yep. I’ll take one more modern National before the romance returns in 2026, thank you very much.
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