JP McManus won the 2010 Grand National with Don’t Push It, seen here crossing the line under AP McCoy. Pic: Dan Abraham, Racingfotos.com (Courtesy of Great British Racing).
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ANIBALE FLY is taken to improve on his fine third place in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup and land the £1million Randox Health Grand National at 5.15pm on Saturday.
The Tony Martin-trained eight-year-old ran on well to belie odds of 33-1 to finish third behind Native River and Might Bite in Cheltenham’s Blue Riband event and is now challenging for favouritism for the National at 11-1.
The big field in the National should pose no problems for the JP McManus-owned gelding who beat 27 rivals in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in late December, where he stayed on well before drawing clear in the extended three mile contest.
Anibale Fly fell at his next start when travelling well, two fences from home in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown in February and was clearly none the worse for the mishap when impressing at Cheltenham.
The biggest danger may be another McManus-owned runner, the John Kiely-trained Carlingford Lough who looks a great each way bet at odds of 50-1.
Carlingford Lough, a multiple Grade 1 winner, has been out of form of late but a return to anywhere near his best would give him a tremendous chance of finishing in the money in the World’s greatest steeplechase.
The Randox Health Grand National declared runners 2018
Grade 3 handicap chase, £1 million total prize fund. Aintree, 5.15pm Saturday, April 14, 2018. 4m 2f 74yds
Maximum field of 40 plus four reserves.
|
|
Horse |
Age |
Wgt |
Trainer |
Jockey |
|
1) |
MINELLA ROCCO
THUNDER AND ROSES |
10 |
11-10
10-05 |
Jonjo O’Neill
Mouse Morris |
Noel Fehily
JJ Slevin |
|
2) |
BLAKLION |
9 |
11-09 |
Nigel Twiston-Davies |
Sam Twiston-Davies |
|
3) |
ANIBALE FLY |
8 |
11-07 |
Tony Martin IRE |
Barry Geraghty |
|
4) |
THE LAST SAMURI |
10 |
11-07 |
Kim Bailey |
David Bass |
|
5) |
VALSEUR LIDO |
9 |
11-06 |
Henry de Bromhead IRE |
Keith Donoghue |
|
6) |
TOTAL RECALL |
9 |
11-04 |
Willie Mullins IRE |
Paul Townend |
|
7) |
ALPHA DES OBEAUX |
8 |
11-03 |
Mouse Morris IRE |
Rachael Blackmore |
|
8) |
PERFECT CANDIDATE |
11 |
11-02 |
Fergal O’Brien |
Alain Crawley |
|
9) |
SHANTOU FLYER |
8 |
11-01 |
Richard Hobson |
James Bowen |
|
10) |
TENOR NIVERNAIS |
11 |
11-00 |
Venetia Williams |
Town O’Brien |
|
11) |
CARLINGFORD LOUGH |
12 |
11-00 |
John Kiely IRE |
Mark Walsh |
|
12) |
VICENTE |
9 |
10-13 |
Paul Nicholls |
Nick Scholfield |
|
13) |
TIGER ROLL |
8 |
10-12 |
Gordon Elliott IRE |
Davy Russell |
|
14) |
REGAL ENCORE |
10 |
10-12 |
Anthony Honeyball |
Richie McLernon |
|
15) |
VIEUX LION ROUGE |
9 |
10-12 |
David Pipe |
Tom Scudamore |
|
16) |
CHASE THE SPUD |
10 |
10-11 |
Fergal O’Brien |
Paddy Brennan |
|
17) |
WARRIORS TALE |
9 |
10-11 |
Paul Nicholls |
Sean Bowen |
|
18) |
SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT |
10 |
10-11 |
Sandy Thomson |
Brian Hughes |
|
19) |
GAS LINE BOY |
12 |
10-10 |
Ian Williams |
Robbie Dunne |
|
20) |
THE DUTCHMAN |
8 |
10-10 |
Colin Tizzard |
Harry Cobden |
|
21) |
PLEASANT COMPANY |
10 |
10-10 |
Willie Mullins IRE |
David Mullins |
|
22) |
UCELLO CONTI |
10 |
10-09 |
Gordon Elliott IRE |
Daryl Jacob |
|
23) |
SAINT ARE |
12 |
10-09 |
Tom George |
Adrian Heskin |
|
24) |
BEEVES |
11 |
10-09 |
Jennie Candlish |
Sean Quinlan |
|
25) |
RAZ DE MAREE |
13 |
10-08 |
Gavin Cromwell IRE |
Robbie Power |
|
26) |
I JUST KNOW |
8 |
10-07 |
Sue Smith |
Danny Cook |
|
27) |
VIRGILIO |
9 |
10-07 |
Dan Skelton |
Harry Skelton |
|
28) |
BAIE DES ILES |
7 |
10-07 |
Ross O’Sullivan IRE |
Ms Katie Walsh |
|
29) |
MAGGIO |
13 |
10-07 |
Patrick Griffin IRE |
Brendan Powell |
|
30) |
PENDRA |
10 |
10-07 |
Charlie Longsdon |
Aidan Coleman |
|
31) |
BUYWISE |
11 |
10-07 |
Evan Williams |
Adam Wedge |
|
32) |
CHILDRENS LIST |
8 |
10-07 |
Willie Mullins IRE |
– |
|
33) |
LORD WINDERMERE |
12 |
10-06 |
Jim Culloty IRE |
Andrew Lynch |
|
34) |
CAPTAIN REDBEARD |
9 |
10-06 |
Stuart Coltherd |
Sam Coltherd |
|
35) |
HOUBLON DES OBEAUX |
11 |
10-06 |
Venetia Williams |
Charlie Deutsch |
|
36) |
BLESS THE WINGS |
13 |
10-05 |
Gordon Elliott IRE |
Jack Kennedy |
|
37) |
MILANSBAR |
11 |
10-05 |
Neil King |
Bryony Frost |
|
38) |
FINAL NUDGE |
9 |
10-05 |
David Dennis |
Gavin Sheehan |
|
39) |
DOUBLE ROSS |
12 |
10-05 |
Nigel Twiston-Davies |
Jamie Bargary |
|
40) |
ROAD TO RICHES |
11 |
10-04 |
Noel Meade IRE |
Sean Flanagan |
RESERVES: Thunder And Roses gets in the final field after Minella Rocco was withdrawn on Friday morning due to unsuitable ground conditions.
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