THERE are a lot of pieces in the jigsaw that is the Grand National and a few more fell into place yesterday.
Whether or not they were enough for punters to successfully complete Saturday's big race puzzle, time will tell.
The most significant news concerned Turko who was declared a definite starter at Liverpool after Richard Johnson agreed to take the ri
de on the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding.
Nicholls had tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade stable jockey Ruby Walsh to switch from Hedgehunter and Walsh's loyalty to the 2005 National hero had put the participation of Turko, who has finished second in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown and third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham this season, in doubt.
"Hedgehunter is so good around there, having won it and been placed, he would be a very hard horse to get off, and even harder to watch him win if I had done so," said Walsh in explanation of his decision.
Willie Mullins is delighted that Walsh has stayed loyal to Hedgehunter, despite Nicholls' attempts to lure him on board Turko.
"I thought he might ride the other horse but he's elected to ride Hedgehunter. I'm happy as he knows him very well and hopefully it will be a good result," said Mullins.
"I think he is coming back to himself and he appears in good form, he worked this morning and Ruby came to ride him.
"He just did a small canter this morning, he jumped 12 fences yesterday and jumped well so he seems in good form and all our preparations are just about finished for Aintree. He loves the track and if it keeps drying that will be in his favour, if it rains that will probably favour horses with lighter weights."
Having Johnson in the saddle as a super-sub didn't appear to be seen as a negative by the bookies who trimmed Turko's odds from 33-1 into 28-1 while Mon Mome, even shorter in the betting, is also Merseyside bound. "He's in good order and is going to run," said trainer Venetia Williams.
Which is perhaps not what connections of Philson Run, Dun Doire, Ardaghey, and Joes Edge really wanted to hear as the presence of Turko and Mon Mome will make it even more difficult for that quartet to squeeze their way into the final 40-strong line-up.
Especially as Irish raider No Full, who was originally thought to be an unlikely starter, will be there after all.
"I thought the National would come a bit soon as he only came back at Navan on Saturday after picking up a leg infection in January," explained handler Eoin Doyle. "He ran second at Navan however and came out of the race well, ate up, and is in good form. Shay Barry will ride."
Other jockey bookings of interest include Tony Dobbin's confirmation as the pilot of Point Barrow, who was sent off co-favourite 12 months ago, and Timmy Murphy's decision to side with Eider Chase winner Comply Or Die rather than Vodka Bleu.
"I got a phone call from Ireland saying the horse was going spare if I was interested," said Dobbin, who landed the National on Lord Gyllene in 1997, a race that will always be remembered for being run 40 hours late because of a bomb scare.
"It's a good ride and he was fancied last year but unfortunately came down at the first. He is, though, an Irish National winner. He's also a spring horse and I've heard good vibes about him so hopefully he'll give me a good ride."
Murphy's choice of Comply Or Die was enough to see his already well-backed mount shrink still further in the betting, although Cloudy Lane remains a very strong favourite, a position his jockey Jason Maguire did nothing to threaten when admitting: "I schooled him on Monday morning just to give him a pop and he schooled well.
"He wouldn't want it to come up heavy so I think the better ground will suit him. Touch wood, he is very clever at his fences, he travelled really well at Doncaster last time and is very intelligent."
That last quality might be the one that separates Cloudy Lane from the millions who'll try to find the winner this weekend albeit 40 runner fields over four-and-a-half miles aren't the only sort of races than can get some of us into a muck sweat.
When compared to the National, today's Nicholas Hall Handicap at Lingfield is only a two-piece jigsaw as only eight will go to post, they only have seven furlongs to travel and there are no obstacles to negotiate.
Given how simple that makes it all sound, I'm probably just making a rod for my own back by napping Dvinsky to land the spoils. Darryll Holland's mount has to concede weight all round but the best bet could hardly have been more consistent of late and he looks well up to the task.
The full article contains 844 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
