Grand National with last year`s winner

Aintree, Saturday 15 April: The Grand National (6th race/6.15pm/1m pounds/6907m), fully booked with 40 horses, tops the programme at Aintree today. The handicap chase race runs over 30 jumps and the favourites are offered at prices around 9/1 on the betting market.

Last year`s top three finishers Noble Yeats (Sean Bowen), Any Second Now (Mark Walsh) and Delta Work (Keith Donoghue) are all in the mix. The former produced as strong a performance at Cheltenham as the Elliott protégé did in a cross-country. Any Second Now, like Ain`t That A Shame (Rachael Blackmore) in a Beginners Chase, rehearsed successfully for today`s task. Corach Rambler (Derek Fox), Gaillard du Mesnil (Paul Townend), Longhouse Poet (J. Slevin), Our Power (Sam Twiston-Davies) and Coko Beach (Harry Cobden) are other recent winners. Owner John McManus just won the Irish Grand National and has another hot potato in the fire alongside Any Second Now in Capodanno (Danny Mullins). The Big Dog (Aidan Coleman) fluffed the dress rehearsal, but pleases with the performances achieved before.