WITH last year’s winner Silver Birch out of the John Smith’s Grand National due to injury, runner-up McKelvey is on course to try and go one better at Aintree on April 5.
The Peter Bowen-trained nine-year-old was among the 150 entries declared at the first stage for the Aintree showpiece yesterday.
McKelvey was just three-quarters-of-a-length behind the Gordon Elliott-trained Silver Birch last April despite suffering a tendon injury in the final 100 yards. He is just one of 10 entries from Welsh trainer Bowen with 2006 Gold Cup runner-up Take The Stand and Dunbrody Millar, who won the Topham Chase over the National fences last April, the main ones.
McKelvey has not been on the racecourse since coming so close to Aintree glory last spring, but he is a best-priced 25-1 with Ladbrokes, Coral, BlueSquare, VCbet and BetFred for the race.
Bowen said: “He will probably have a spin over hurdles at the beginning of March. Ideally, I would like to get two runs over hurdles into him before the Grand National.
“He is about 9lb higher over fences than when he finished second in the race last year, so he will have his first chase start this season at Aintree in April. He has come back from his tendon injury well and he looks as good as he has ever been. We are hopeful of another good run at Aintree in April again this year.”
Mr Pointment, winner of the totesport Becher Chase over the National fences in November and current 14-1 favourite with BetFred and Boylesports, is one of seven entries from champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who is bidding for a first win in the race.
Donald McCain Jnr, whose father Ginger holds the record of four for most victories in the Aintree showpiece, has three entries. Cloudy Lane and Idle Talk – both owned by Trevor Hemmings – as well as Bannister Lane could all bid for National glory for the Cholmondeley-based trainer.
Cloudy Lane, a winner at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and also at Haydock before Christmas, is generally a 25-1 chance with most firms.
Another Hemmings-owned horse – 2005 National hero Hedgehunter – could make his fifth successive appearance in the race and with the injuries to Silver Birch and Numbersixvalverde he is the only former winner entered.
Irish trainer Mullins could have up to seven entries including Snowy Morning, second to Denman in last year’s Royal & SunAlliance Chase and a best-priced 16-1 with Coral, VCbet, BetFred and Paddy Power. They are among the 38 entries from Ireland, where six of the last nine winners have been trained.
Powerful owner JP McManus has the most representatives entered (11) spearheaded by last year’s Irish Grand National winner, the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Butler’s Cabin.
The eight-year-old could give McManus, O’Neill and champion jockey Tony McCoy a first National success and is a best-priced 16-1 with Ladbrokes, Coral, bet365, VCbet, BetFred and Paddy Power to do so.
Meanwhile another well-fancied runner Simon – who is a best-priced 20-1 with Coral – could return to Aintree to try and give octogenarian owner Mercy Rimell an emotional win.
Rimell’s husband Fred jointly holds the record with Ginger McCain for most National wins.
The John Spearing-trained Simon fell at the sixth-last fence when going well at Aintree. He also unseated jockey Andrew Thornton in the Letheby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
But Spearing, who trains from Rimell’s old yard in Worcestershire, said: “He’s fine after the Cheltenham race and he was travelling okay at the time. His next race will probably be the Racing Post Chase (which he won last year).
“He ran very well in last season’s National and I think he is stronger this year. It would be nice to win for Mrs Rimell and it would be great for the yard.”
TODAY’S NAP: Triple Mint (4pm Towcester)
