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2009 Grand National entries

Friday 20 March 2009

Gold Cup winner Kauto Star could have one more run this season. Paul Nicholls indicated that he and owner Clive Smith are to consider running the nine-year-old in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown next month after last year's winner Neptune Collonges was confirmed to have sustained a tendon injury that will keep him on the sidelines for up to a year.

Nicholls told The Times: “Neptune had a scan on Tuesday which confirmed my fears that he'd injured himself during the Gold Cup. It's not that bad but it will necessitate him having all next season off, just to play safe. John Hales, his owner, has been fully informed and supports that treatment.

“I'll have a chat with Clive now about whether we might run Kauto again in the Punchestown race. It would be totally ground dependent, which probably makes the idea unlikely, but you'd hardly know he ran in a Gold Cup less than a week ago.

“Aintree would definitely come too quick for him, as it did last year - we won't make that mistake again. But as he's not going to be running until the first week of November, there are arguments for thinking about one more race this time while he's so well. I don't want him carrying top weight in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, so Punchestown is the only opportunity.”

Of dual Champion Chase winner Master Minded Nicholls added: “He won't go to Aintree but the two-mile race at Punchestown is a possibility. Denman is pleasing me and went nicely when he cantered yesterday, so the totesport Bowl at Aintree will be considered when I talk to his owners.”

Henrietta Knight's novice chaser Calgary Bay was a disappointing tenth in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenahm last week, but will bid to show improved form at Aintree. Knight told PA Sport: "The idea is to take him to Aintree. He'll be entered for the new race over two and a half miles (John Smith's Manifesto Novices' Chase) and the three miler (John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase) and we'll just see what the ground is like.

"I haven't really had chance to speak to Tony McCoy since Cheltenham, but I don't think the horse was quite himself that day because he seemed to run flat. He didn't jump as well as he can, but they went very fast which may have affected that and I've always said he wanted further. He didn't seem to have much sparkle that day."

Of Somersby, third in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Knight added: "We were absolutely delighted with Somersby, he's a lovely young horse. He'll be entered at Aintree but he may go to Punchestown, one or the other.

"He doesn't need soft ground but I wouldn't risk him without a little bit of cut and if it was too firm at Punchestown, he wouldn't go there but we'll just see. He'll have one more run anyway."

Tuesday 17 March 2009

Last season's Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle winner Fiveforthree made his seasonal debut at Wexford on Tuesday and won as a 4-9 shot should, cruising home to win by seven lengths. A back problem has kept the seven-year-old out of action until today, but it is now all systems go for Aintree and Punchestown.

"The plan is to go for the two-and-a-half-miler at Aintree and possibly then go to Punchestown after that," said winning trainer Willie Mullins. "That is the plan at the moment. He's had some training problems but he has done everything right at home since he has been back in serious work. He worked well at Leopardstown in the pre-Cheltenham gallops and that showed today."

Mouse Morris is optimistic that War Of Attrition can give a good account of himself in the John Smith's Grand National. The ten-year-old had to miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup but is now back in work. Morris told PA Sport: "War Of Attrition is sound again now thankfully and all being well he will take his chance at Aintree.

"We have left both him and Hear The Echo in at the latest forfeit stage, and at the moment War Of Attrition would be the first preference.

"Just with the way the weights are if 'The War' is OK, he would be the one. When you look at how Hear The Echo is weighted you would have to think War Of Attrition is well-in."

A number of horses at the top of the Grand National Handicap look likely to bypass the race, leaving the Paul Nicholls-trained Nozic as probable top weight with a 7lb rise in the weights expected.

Ryanair Chase winner Imperial Commander is one to miss the race in favour of either the Melling Chase or the Totesport Bowl.

Welsh National winner Notre Pere is still coming back from the minor injury that ruled him out of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is another to miss the Grand National, though trainer Jim Dreaper hopes to have him ready to run in either the Irish or Scottish Grand National.

The Sir Robert Ogden-owned Exotic Dancer will swerve the Grand National and heads to the totesport Bowl, which he won two years ago. Star De Mohaison, in the same ownership, could run in that race or in the John Smith's Handicap Chase over three miles and one furlong.

Malcolm Jefferson hopes Saturday's Wetherby winner Brooklyn Brownie makes the cut for the John Smith's Grand National. He told PA Sport: "I just hope he gets in. We'll give him an entry in the Topham just in case. If he gets in the big one, he'll run in it. He's in good nick after Saturday."

Henry Daly was delighted with Mighty Man, and he will bid to preserve his unbeaten Aintree record with victory in the Liverpool Hurdle.

Monday 16 March 2009

Trainer Donald McCain is to give last year's Grand National sixth Cloudy Lane a racecourse gallop in the run-up to the race. He reports the nine-year-old to be "in full work and in good nick," along with his other Trevor Hemmings-owned National hope, Idle Talk.

McCain plans to run Champion Hurdle 12th Whiteoak in the Scottish And Newcastle Aintree Hurdle. The handler told PA Sport: "She's fine, no problems. She'll go to Aintree all being well now.

"It proved too rough and tough for her the other day. She got bullied out of it a little bit and the smaller field at Aintree over two and a half miles will suit. It's fingers crossed we'll kick on there. She ran respectably in the Champion, but I still think she's better than her finishing position but it didn't work out. That's just the way it goes."

2007 Grand National winner Silver Birch is reported to be on course for this year's renewal despite finsihing ninth of ten in the Slane Handicap Hurdle over 2m 7f at Navan on Sunday.

Victor Dartnall hopes to run Midlands Grand National winner Russian Trigger in the Scottish national at Ayr next month ahead of a campaign geared around Aintree next season. "He stays forever. He's only had four runs and won two Nationals. Hopefully there's more to come," said Dartnall.

Starluck was fourth to Zaynar in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday, and Alan Fleming plans to run the gelding in the John Smith's Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle at Aintree, where he believes the flat track will suit him better than the Cheltenham hill.

Emma Lavelle is to put Crack Away Jack away for the season after the five-year-old's highly creditable fourth in the Champion Hurdle. He will return over fences next season with the Arkle Trophy the main target.

Racing Post Chase winner Nacarat is to run at Aintree in either the totesport Bowl over three miles and one furlong on April 2 or the two and a half mile John Smith's Melling Chase on April 3.

Trainer Tomgeorge told PA Sport: "We've not completely decided. It's likely to be ground dependent. If it's soft we'll probably go over two and a half miles and if it's good ground we'll go for the three. We're keeping our options open until nearer the day."