GIVEN yesterday's tragic events at Aintree, the opening skirmishes of the 2009 Grand National meeting are unlikely ever to be filed under 'Racing's Finest Hours', so we can but hope the rest of the meeting is remembered for the right reasons.
As expected, the top 40 in the handicap from Monday's confirmation stage of tomorrow's big race, with the exception of the already scratched War Of Attrition, have all stood their ground which means Zabenz squeezes into the line-up at the
foot of the weights on 10st 5lb.
At the other end of the spectrum, Cloudy Lane will have to lump 11st 10lb if he's to provide the McCain family with a memorable fifth National success, while last year's winner Comply Or Die shoulders 11st 6lb.
Of the other leading contenders, ante-post favourite My Will is set to shoulder 11st 4lb but those who have already plunged on Paul Nicholls's strongly fancied charge, one of four runners in the race for the champion trainer as he bids to land an elusive first National victory, might not have been doing cartwheels last night when they heard the comments of owner Andy Stewart.
"It's great Ruby (Walsh] chose to ride him and it's a major plus for a horse who sometimes makes the occasional mistake," he admitted.
"Having a jockey with that experience round Aintree, and who has also ridden the horse beforehand, is important but I think the price the bookmakers have got him is far too short, and he should basically be that price to get round.
"He has, though, never been better, so there will be no excuses and Paul Nicholls is feeling very bullish," added Stewart. If his handler's confidence doesn't prove to be misplaced, a win for My Will would cost the bookies plenty, always something to be celebrated, and Coral reckon the Somerset raider could go off the most heavily backed favourite in the National's history.
Unlike Walsh, Tony McCoy's record in the race is one the champ would rather not have on his CV and after much apparent humming and hawing, he has finally decided to partner Butler's Cabin, a decision that saw the latter's odds being cut, despite the fact McCoy has yet to win the race in 13 attempts.
AP will at least have a mount in the Aintree marathon which is more than Dominic Elsworth, who hasn't ridden since taking a crashing fall at Towcester a week ago, can say, as he's been replaced by Wayne Hutchinson on another well-fancied contender Darkness.
"It's incredibly bad luck on Dominic and I feel very sorry for him," explained trainer Charlie Egerton.
"Of course he is going to want to ride, of course he is going to think he's fit, but as the captain of the ship, I have to make the best decision I can on behalf of the crew,"
Having been made to walk the plank, Elsworth wasn't best pleased as you might expect.
"I'm gutted because I turned down two other rides in the race," he said.
Red Moloney, who has earned a reputation as a Musselburgh expert since being switched to hurdles, showed he didn't need a flat track to be at his best with a storming run at the Cheltenham Festival but the return to the less undulating terrain of Aintree won't do his chances any harm in today's opener.
Voy Por Ustedes will be hard to deny when he bids for back-to-back triumphs in the Melling Chase while the improving Captain Americo looks nicely weighted in the long-distance handicap so he's napped to continue on the upward curve.
The full article contains 612 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
