John Smith`s Grand National, part one

This is possibly the most open race ever run, with all 40 runners holding a chance on their best form. Obviousy luck in running will play its usual role, but in terms of quality it is an excellent field and with the ground perfect, there will be no excuses. There are various trends that need to be followed here, one of them being the extraordinary lack of success in the race for the leading British trainer Paul Nicholls (44 runners and no winners) and jockey Tony McCoy (14 unsuccessful attempts).This could well change today as Nicholls saddles 4 runners, including the likely favourite Big Fella Thanks (Ruby Walsh), while McCoy has chosen to partner Jonjo O´Neill´s Don´ t Push It from the multiple entry of his boss, big owner JP McManus. O´Neill and McCoy teamed up for two winners here yesterday, so the stable form is certainly good enough. The same cannot be said of Nigel Twiston-Davies, who has no fewer than 5 runners; he had a great Cheltenham but has so far been totally ou t of luck at this meeting. His main chances would appear to be Irish Raptor, the choice of stable jockey Paddy Brennan, and Hello Bud, ridden by the trainer´s son, 17-year-old schoolboy Sam.

Hello Bud would obviously be a fairytale winner, and this race has often enough ended with a magical result (remember Aldaniti?). Two other fairytale winners would be Dream Alliance (Philip Hobbs/ Tom O´Brien), owned by a group of small owners from the Welsh village where he was bred, and cured by stemcell treatment from a near fatal problem; and Character Building (John Quinn/ Nina Carberry), bought only a few as ago by Patricia Thompson (Cheveley Park Stud), who won the 1992 race with Party Politics, also bought just before the race. Victory for him would make Nina Carberry the first lady jockey to triumph in this gruelling event, but she has proved over and over again that she is up to the task.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Peddlers Cross - Najaf - Bygones Of Brid
2. Race: Osana - Tataniano - Bergo
3. Race: Zaynar - Khyber Kim - Celestial Halo
4. Race: From Dawn To Dusk - Wogan - Au Courant
5. Race: Big Fella Thanks - Mon Mome - Arbor Supreme
6. Race: Dee Ee Williams - Issaquah - Zanir
7. Race: Don`T Turn Bach - Megastar - Dare Me