
Teaforthree (right) jumps the last fence on the way to finishing third in the 2013 Grand National.
Pic: John Grossick, courtesy of Aintree
By Simon Jackson
Trainer Rebecca Curtis is upbeat about the chances of Grand National favourite Teaforthree as 73 horses remain in contention to line up in the world’s greatest steeplechase.
Teaforthree heads the betting at 10-1 with Betfred for the four miles and three and a half furlongs contest on April 5, having finished third in the big race last year.
The 10-year-old has run three times since then, a second place in a Grade 2 at Ascot last month separating unplaced runs in the Coral Welsh Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
“He is in great form and has come out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup really well,” Curtis said at yesterday’s Crabbie’s Grand National Northern Media Lunch at Aintree. “I don’t think he had too hard a race, being allowed to coast home up the hill.
“He has eaten everything up and being freshened up out in the field. We will be hopeful of a good run.
“He took to the Grand National fences last year. Maybe, with him being favourite, there is more pressure this year.
“Teaforthree likes the ground on the softer side of good. Everybody thinks he needs heavy ground but he doesn’t.”
The ground conditions at Aintree ahead of the three day meeting that commences on April 3 are currently good to soft, good in places on the Grand National Course and good, good to soft in places on the Mildmay course.
Andrew Tulloch, regional head of racing for Jockey Club Racecourses north west said: “We had a lot of frost and snow last winter but this one has been much better. The grass has started growing earlier and we have cut the course three times.
“We saved quite a bit of ground on the Grand National Course for Betfred Becher Chase Day in December as we raced on the outside of the course and it was the same on the Mildmay Course.
“We started dressing the Grand National fences with spruce about 10 days ago and this will continue up to the meeting. Welfare of horses and riders is the top priority.
“There are three great days of racing. We have four Grade 1 races on the Thursday, the Crabbie’s Topham Chase on the Friday and the Crabbie’s Grand National on the Saturday.
The Crabbie’s Grand National
Class 1, Grade 3, £1,000,000 Total Prize Fund. 4.15pm, Aintree, Saturday, April 5, 2014.
Form Horse Age/Weight Owner Trainer
1) 121-1532 TIDAL BAY (IRE) 13-11-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls
2) 132-54U1 LONG RUN (FR) 9-11-09 Robert Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson
3) 13-606034 HUNT BALL (IRE) 9-11-07 Atlantic Equine Nicky Henderson
4) -F21P20P ROI DU MEE (FR) 9-11-06 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
5) 301-1310 TRIOLO D’ALENE (FR) 7-11-06 Sandy & Caroline Orr Nicky Henderson
6) 1113-22 ROCKY CREEK (IRE) 8-11-05 The Johnson & Stewart Families Paul Nicholls
7) 211-F4430 KATENKO (FR) 8-11-04 Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams
8) /F1115-U BOG WARRIOR (IRE) 10-11-02 Gigginstown House Stud Tony Martin IRE
9) 2U11-11 MOSSEY JOE (IRE) 11-11-01 Barry Connell Enda Bolger IRE
10) 45-F405P QUITO DE LA ROQUE (FR) 10-11-01 Gigginstown House Stud Colm Murphy IRE
11) 1U-03U0F COLBERT STATION (IRE) 10-11-00 J P McManus Ted Walsh IRE
12) 22P52-U4 WALKON (FR) 9-11-00 McNeill Family Alan King
13) 20P-1111 BALTHAZAR KING (IRE) 10-10-13 The Brushmakers Philip Hobbs
14) P06-52P0 WAYWARD PRINCE 10-10-13 John & Mrs Hilary Parrott Hilary Parrott
15) -4503112 MR MOONSHINE (IRE) 10-10-12 Douglas Pryde, Jim Beaumont & David van der Hoeven Sue Smith
16) 6203-020 TEAFORTHREE (IRE) 10-10-12 Conyers, O’Reilly, Roddis, Zeffman Rebecca Curtis
17) 10-501U ACROSS THE BAY (IRE) 10-10-11 Scotch Piper Syndicate Donald McCain
18) F111116 DOUBLE SEVEN (IRE) 8-10-11 J P McManus Martin Brassil IRE
19) 2131-5PP GODSMEJUDGE (IRE) 8-10-11 Favourites Racing Alan King
20) 11-1PRP BATTLE GROUP 9-10-10 Jolly Boys Outing Johnny Farrelly
21) 5-05103 BUCKERS BRIDGE (IRE) 8-10-10 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
22) 1/PP-5014 LION NA BEARNAI (IRE) 12-10-10 The Lock Syndicate Tom Gibney IRE
23) 12-3004 PRINCE DE BEAUCHENE (FR) 11-10-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
24) 13P-3415 MONBEG DUDE (IRE) 9-10-09 Oydunow Michael Scudamore
25) 2/5PU-01 SUNNYHILLBOY (IRE) 11-10-09 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
26) 1/F0211-23 BIG SHU (IRE) 9-10-08 H Duffy/R J Robinson/Miss C M Woods Peter Maher IRE
27) 2/-500P02 BURTON PORT (IRE) 10-10-08 Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O’Neill
28) 0P/124-050 OUR FATHER (IRE) 8-10-08 The Ives & Johnson Families David Pipe
29) 241-3315 MOUNTAINOUS (IRE) 9-10-07 Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter Richard Lee
30) 4UP-261 THE RAINBOW HUNTER 10-10-07 May We Never Be Found Out Partnership Kim Bailey
31) 2P-1262F VINTAGE STAR (IRE) 8-10-07 Trevor Hemmings Sue Smith
32) 0400-1P4 CHANCE DU ROY (FR) 10-10-06 Miss I D Du Pre Philip Hobbs
33) 12P-426 HAWKES POINT 9-10-06 Graham Roach Paul Nicholls
34) 2-441103 KRUZHLININ (GER) 7-10-06 Paul & Clare Rooney Donald McCain
35) 35F2013 PINEAU DE RE (FR) 11-10-06 J A Provan Dr Richard Newland
36) 1R03/3-U1 GOLAN WAY 10-10-05 W R B Racing 58 Tim Vaughan
37) 125010U TWIRLING MAGNET (IRE) 8-10-05 Gay Smith Jonjo O’Neill
38) 302-FU0 VESPER BELL (IRE) 8-10-05 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
39) 612-00P5 SAME DIFFERENCE (IRE) 8-10-04 Mrs R Vaughan Nigel Twiston-Davies
40) 5/4/14PP-3 THE PACKAGE 11-10-04 The Johnson Family David Pipe
41) 15211-P0P3 RAZ DE MAREE (FR) 9-10-03 Dessie Hughes Dessie Hughes IRE
42)114P-01 ROSE OF THE MOON (IRE) 9-10-03 Middleham Park Racing XXXIII & Partners David O’Meara
43) /11220/-6P0 SHAKALAKABOOMBOOM (IRE) 10-10-03 Liam Breslin Nicky Henderson
44) 6R3-51P ALVARADO (IRE) 9-10-02 William & Angela Rucker Fergal O’Brien
45) 51433-00 LAST TIME D’ALBAIN (FR) 10-10-02 Fontstown Syndicate Liam Cusack IRE
46) 1P-130PP LOST GLORY (NZ) 9-10-02 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
47) 23-F3P465 ONE IN A MILAN (IRE) 9-10-02 Paul Langford Evan Williams
48) P1-2502 GOONYELLA (IRE) 7-10-01 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Jim Drear IRE
49) 1162-0P1 GOULANES (IRE) 8-10-01 Roger Brookhouse David Pipe
50) 14406-50 SWING BILL (FR) 13-10-01 Halewood International Ltd David Pipe
51) B/0010-5405 SOLL 9-10-00 Derrick Mossop Jo Hughes
52) 121114 MINELLA FOR VALUE (IRE) 8-9-13 Maxilead Limited John Butler
53) 1-2301P1 NIGHT IN MILAN (IRE) 8-9-13 Richard Collins Keith Reveley
54) 3000-04P SAINT ARE (FR) 8-9-13 David Fox Tim Vaughan
55) 22/0-P50P OUT NOW (IRE) 10-9-12 Dermot Cox/Nelius Hayes Edward O’Grady IRE
56) 2-50231P TRANQUIL SEA (IRE) 12-9-12 No Dramas Partnership 1 Warren Greatrex
57) 13/304-40 ALFIE SHERRIN 11-9-11 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
58) 1P0-3326 COURT BY SURPRISE (IRE) 9-9-11 Nick Mustoe Emma Lavelle
59) 2B6-P51P THERE’S NO PANIC (IRE) 9-9-11 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls
60) 6050F-030 QUISCOVER FONTAINE (FR) 10-9-10 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE
61) F1111006 STANDING OVATION (IRE) 7-9-10 The Bravo Partnership David Pipe
62) 03-00P16 WYCK HILL (IRE) 10-9-10 J P McManus David Bridgwater
63) -3341201 BAILE ANRAI (IRE) 10-9-09 Massive Dan Skelton
64) 2110F0 GULLIBLE GORDON (IRE) 11-9-09 Karen Bowen Peter Bowen
65) PP/4-P050 QUINZ (FR) 10-9-09 Andrew Cohen Philip Hobbs
66) 0-P53252 ANY CURRENCY (IRE) 11-9-06 Cash Is King Martin Keighley
67) 6-5U024P SIR DU BEARN (FR) 8-9-06 Mickey Bowen Peter Bowen
68) F-0465430 SOLIX (FR) 8-9-06 Paul Vogt Ian Williams
69) 3313F652 STORM SURVIVOR (IRE) 8-9-06 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill
70) 013444 VICTRIX GALE (IRE) 8-9-06 Badgers Syndicate Tony Martin IRE
71) 004-26P35 TOUR DES CHAMPS (FR) 7-9-04 Raymond Mould Nigel Twiston-Davies
72) 4-22112F MERLIN’S WISH 9-9-02 Miss R Toppin Martin Keighley
73) 1213003 SERGEANT PINK (IRE) 8-8-11 Andrew Sayer Dianne Sayer
73 entries remain after March 18 scratching deadline
Crabbie’s Grand National – Betfred bet: 10 Teaforthree, 16 Tidal Bay, 20 Long Run, Monbeg Dude, Triolo d’Alene, 25 Colbert Station, Godsmejudge, Rocky Creek, 33 Alfie Sherrin, Alvarado, Balthazar King, Battle Group, Big Shu, Burton Port, Chance Du Roy, Double Seven, Hawkes Point, Katenko, Mossey Joe, Pineau De Re, Prince De Beauchene, Same Difference, Shakalakaboomboom, Sunnyhillboy, The Rainbow Hunter, Wyck Hill, 40 Across The Bay, Goulanes, Lion Na Bearnai, Mountainous, Mr Moonshine, Night In Milan, Our Father, Raz De Maree, Rose Of The Moon, Soll, Standing Ovation, There’s No Panic, Vintage Star, 50 Baile Anrai, Bog Warrior, Buckers Bridge, Court By Surprise, Golan Way, Goonyella, Kruzhlinin, Last Time d’Albain, Out Now, Roi Du Mee, The Package, Tranquil Sea, Twirling Magnet, Vesper Bell, Victrix Gale, Walkon, Wayward Prince, 66 Gullible Gordon, Hunt Ball, Lost Glory, Minella For Value, One In A Milan, Quinz, Quiscover Fontaine, Quito De La Roque, Saint Are, Sir Du Bearn, Solix, Storm Survivor, Swing Bill, Tour Des Champs, 100 Any Currency, Merlin’s Wish, 200 Sergeant Pink.
Each way ¼ 1-2-3-4
Read Horse Talk with Simon Jackson each day at London24 for the latest horse racing news.