2010 Aintree Grand National Attracts 112 High-Class Entries, Including Last Three Winners

Evan Williams is keeping State Of Play’s powder dry ahead of the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 10, with the trainer happy to send last year’s fourth to the world’s most famous steeplechase without another run.

The 10-year-old is one of 112 classy entries announced for the four and half-mile showcase, which carries record prize money this year of £925,000.

State Of Play, a 33/1 chance with Aintree’s official betting partner totesport, performs best when fresh and Williams’ charge, whose only start since that game effort in defeat behind Mon Mome last year saw him pulled up in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, won by Denman, at Newbury in November.

Williams revealed today: “State Of Play is doing great. He had a bit of a problem in his lumbar region after the Hennessy, which explains why he ran no sort of a race there. It was a minor problem that we sorted out, he’s in full work right now and I am very happy with him.

“We were pleased with his run in the John Smith’s Grand National last year. He jumped exceptionally well and the only mistake he made was at the one before Becher’s, second time. He got shuffled back about 12 to 15 lengths at that point but then he got back into the race quite nicely between the second last and the last.

“I could only be happy with how he jumped the fences and how he enjoyed the race.

“My plan was to go straight back there after last year’s race without a run. In a funny sort of a way, it is probably a good thing that we took him to Newbury for a day out and had that run around there.

“He will go straight to the John Smith’s Grand National now. All of the very best runs in his life have come after a long break and there is no point in running him anywhere else before the Grand National.”

The last three winners of the John Smith’s Grand National could lock horns this time around as Venetia Williams has engaged the 2009 hero Mon Mome, who is rated a 20/1 chance by totesport to become the first horse since Red Rum (1973 and 1974 wins) to record back-to-back Grand National victories. Williams’ other entries are Flintoff, part-owned by cricketer Andrew Flintoff and Officier De Reserve. Comply Or Die, runner-up last year having been victorious in 2008, is one of nine entries for trainer David Pipe. Irish handler Gordon Elliott has entered the 2007 winner Silver Birch. Elliott has also entered Backstage, last seen winning at Ffos Las in August. The John Smith’s Grand National continues to see horses returning year on year, with the 2009 renewal attracting the previous two winners, while the last time three previous winners lined up was in 2005.

My Will was third in 2009 for trainer Paul Nicholls and could again take his chance, meaning that, with Cerium and Big Fella Thanks also engaged, the first six home from that renewal have all been entered once again.

The British champion trainer is yet to taste victory in the race and has engaged five classy individuals, including Grade One winner Taranis, victorious in the Grade Two Argento Chase at Cheltenham last Saturday. Also entered from Ditcheat are totesport’s current 16/1 ante-post favourite Tricky Trickster, a winner over four miles at the Cheltenham Festival last season, Nozic and Big Fella Thanks.

The Pipe-trained contingent also includes the in-form veteran Our Vic, successful from the Charlie Longsdon-trained Palypso De Creek in the Grade Two Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock last month. Pipe has also entered last season’s Totesport Bowl winner Madison Du Berlais and Grade Two-winning novice Seven Is My Number.

With two victories in the race (1998 Earth Summit, 2002 Bindaree), Nigel Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer. He has seven entries including last season’s Scottish Grand National victor Hello Bud, 2009 John Smith’s Topham Chase winner Irish Raptor, Ollie Magern and Rehearsal Chase hero Beat The Boys.

Trust Fund was the heroic victor in the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase over the Grand National fences last year under amateur Tom Greenall and is owned by his father, Aintree’s chairman, Lord Daresbury.

Willie Mullins, who saddled the 2005 winner Hedgehunter in five consecutive John Smith’s Grand Nationals, has 10 horses entered, more than any other trainer. The Irish champion trainer’s high-quality contingent this time could include last year’s ninth Snowy Morning and the 11th Irish Invader, as well as the up and coming Troytown Handicap chase winner Beroni, Equus Maximus, Arbor Supreme and Jayo.

L’Escargot in 1975 was the most recent John Smith’s Grand National winner to also triumph in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup but the Mouse Morris-trained War Of Attrition could bid to rewrite the record books. The resurgent 2006 Gold Cup hero advertised his well-being with victory in the Grade Two Galmoy Hurdle in January.

The 38-strong Irish-trained entry also includes totesport.com Becher Chase winner Vic Venturi, as well as his Dessie Hughes-trained stablemate Black Apalachi, winner of the 2008 Becher Chase, who unseated at Becher’s Brook second time when leading in last year’s John Smith’s Grand National.

Jim Dreaper has engaged Notre Pere, winner of the Grade One Punchestown Gold Cup in April as well as the 2008 Welsh National, while other talented entries from across the Irish Sea include the Noel Meade-trained Grade One winner Casey Jones, the Tom Mullins-trained pair of Made In Taipan and Chelsea Harbour, the Colin McBratney-trained Ballyholland and the Oliver McKiernan-trained Grade One winner Follow The Plan.

The Tom Taaffe-trained quartet includes Munster National winner Treacle and the classy Cane Brake, as well as Grade Two winner Glenfinn Captain.

Jimmy Mangan saddled a famous Irish victor in Monty’s Pass (2003) and he has recent Thyestes Chase winner Whinstone Boy among two entries, while the 2008 John Smith’s Grand National runner-up King John’s Castle, trained by Arthur Moore, is also among the entries.

Francois Cottin provides the French-trained entry, Louping D’Ainay. The 11-year-old has top-class from in his homeland but has not raced since November, 2008.

Philip Hobbs has entered five horses, headed by this season’s Welsh National victor Dream Alliance, who had the Richard Lee-trained Le Beau Bai in third. Gone To Lunch was unsuited by the testing ground when pulled up that day but Jeremy Scott’s charge had finished runner-up under top-weight in last season’s Scottish Grand National.

The Henry Daly-trained Possol has landed a pair of novice hurdles this term as he prepares for Aintree, while Donald McCain has entered last year’s top-weight Cloudy Lane.

Jonjo O’Neill could run 2008 Grade One RSA Chase victor Albertas Run alongside Don’t Push It and Can’t Buy Time, while Ferdy Murphy has entered a smart pair in New Alco and Galant Nuit. The Martin Todhunter-trained Star De Mohaison and the Nicky Henderson-trained Trabolgan won the RSA Chase in 2006 and 2005, respectively.

Other notable entries include the Charlie Mann-trained Air Force One, Grade Two winner Joe Lively from the Colin Tizzard yard, Hennessy Gold Cup third, Niche Market, trained by Bob Buckler, the Charles Egerton-trained Darkness and the 2009 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup winner Character Building from the John Quinn yard.

Phil Smith, the British Horseracing Authority’s Head of Handicapping, commented: “There is fantastic strength in depth to the entries for the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National.

“There are more horses rated 140 or above among the entries in this year’s race than in the previous 11 years that I have handicapped the contest.”

Julian Thick, Managing Director at Aintree, said: “The release of the John Smith’s Grand National entries is always excitedly awaited and it is great to see that this year we have another entry packed with quality.

“It is a measure of the race’s health and stature as the world’s most famous steeplechase that we have so many Grade One winners in there including a Cheltenham Gold Cup victor.

“I think I speak for many people when I say that it is particularly thrilling to see the past three John Smith’s Grand National winners, Mon Mome, Comply Or Die and Silver Birch among the 112 entries. The public has such affection for a proper ‘Grand National’ horse and these returning heroes add an extra buzz to what is always a special occasion.

“It will be interesting to see how Phil Smith frames the weights and we now look forward to the official unveiling of them at the John Smith’s Grand National Launch on Tuesday, February 16.”

There is a maximum field of 40 for the John Smith’s Grand National.

The number of entries for the John Smith’s Grand National since 1985 have been: 2010-112; 2009-123; 2008-150; 2007-119; 2006-148; 2005-152; 2004-122; 2003-149; 2002-144, 2001-133, 2000-108, 1999-103, 1998-103, 1997-102, 1996-82, 1995-82, 1994-98, 1993-97, 1992-104, 1991-85, 1990-90, 1989-96, 1988-105, 1987-98, 1986-109 and 1985-100.

The 2010 John Smith’s Grand National meeting takes place at Aintree Racecourse from Thursday, April 8 – Saturday, April 10.

Tickets and hospitality packages are still available.

For more information on the Aintree Grand National including list of runners see Aintree Grand National Info

Date: 04 Feb 2010

2010 Aintree Grand National Attracts 112 High-Class Entries, Including Last Three Winners

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2010 Aintree Grand National Attracts 112 High-Class Entries, Including Last Three Winners

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