FERDY Murphy's high hopes for Joes Edge in the Grand National ended in disappointment, but the Yorkshire-based trainer will head up to Ayr on Saturday confident of winning the Scottish version with Nine De Sivola.
Four times a winner over hurdles, Nine De Sivola has yet to taste success over the larger obstacles, but Murphy is convinced that his runner-up spot in the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday cements his place as a major player at Ayr.
"I think
the track up there will suit him, the trip will suit and the ground is going to be all right," said Murphy, who believes his charge will be suited by quick ground. "Unless they get some rain this week, I think it will ride pretty fast and the field will cut up a little bit. He must have an outstanding chance."
Nine De Sivola also finished second in the Eider Chase at Newcastle and the six-year-old will, in all probability, have the assistance of Graham Lee in the saddle. The odds of 9-1 available on him this morning do not look likely to last for long.
Murphy added: "He came out of the Irish National fantastic. He'd been running on heavy ground, but he's a lovely mover and I actually thought he'd be a bit better when we got good ground. There's a few to come out for him to get in, but I think that will happen because of the ground."
Character Building and Rambling Minster are also among the favourites, while Halcon Genelardais heads the weights of the 45 horses who yesterday stood their ground at the five-day confirmation stage of the big race, sponsored by Coral. Alan King's Welsh National winner now tops the handicap after My Will, State Of Play, Eurotrek and L'Ami defected.
Those four were all in action at Aintree last week, as was Billyvoddan, who remains engaged in Saturday's race and is next in the weights. Henry Daly's charge is one of three possibles for owner Trevor Hemmings, who also has Juveigneur and Idle Talk still in the race.
Carl Llewellyn's 2006 winner Run For Paddy may bid for back-to-back successes, while other interesting candidates at this stage include Nick Gifford's Wee Robbie and Baron Windrush.
Milnathort trainer Lucinda Russell still has three horses entered (Catch The Perk, See You There and Strong Resolve), while Dumfriesshire handler Len Lungo has left in Wild Cane Ridge. Three of the entries are from Ireland - Michael Hourigan's A New Story, Ian Duncan's Another Rum and Tony Martin's Newbay Prop, but the latter is unlikely to travel due to the quick ground. "I doubt he'll go and I'd say we'll wait for Punchestown with him," said Martin.
Further defections from the four-mile marathon may follow if the warm spell of weather continues to dry out the ground at Ayr and John Quinn, trainer of Character Building, admitted: "We'll be keeping an eye on the weather. We wouldn't want any mention of firm in the ground - they are going over fences for four miles don't forget."
Ticket sales for the Ayr showpiece have already reached an all-time high. Sales up until 24 hours before last year's race were 5,200 and that figure was surpassed last week, with the number of tickets sold by yesterday standing at almost 6,000. The attendance on the day may be three times that number.
