HE has been a key part of Ireland ’s near stranglehold on the John Smith’s Grand National for the past decade and Willie Mullins has two lively contenders for glory.

The County Carlow handler has had a sparkling season and he is hoping either last year’s third Snowy Morning or National debutant Irish Invader can give him a second success in the Aintree showpiece.

Mullins won the race with Hedgehunter and Ruby Walsh powered to glory in 2005 which was one of the six successes by Irish trainers in the past 10 runnings. That was the first time the Irish handler had seen one of his charges get round in the National, but since then he has made up for lost time.

Hedgehunter was second a year later to another Irish winner Numbersixvalverde and also managed to complete the course on two other occasions.

Last year Snowy Morning couldn’t quite get to Comply Or Die or second home King Johns Castle, but ran a creditable race under David Casey to finish third less than six lengths off the David Pipe’s winner

The nine-year-old makes his return to Merseyside on the back of a fair second to one of the opposition Black Apalachi in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. It was a welcome return to form for Snowy Morning, who had failed to make the frame in his first two outings of the campaign and fell in the Lexus Chase, won by the ill-fated Exotic Dancer, in December.

Snowy Morning is currently a 33-1 chance with William Hill and will be partnered for the first time by Andrew McNamara, who is yet to get round in three previous rides in the National.

Mullins is hopeful, that despite now carrying joint top weight of 11st8lb, Snowy Morning can go well again. Hesaid: “Snowy Morning ran nicely at Fairyhouse in very heavy ground which I think he probably doesn't enjoy nowadays. I took a lot out of that race that he was coming back to himself.