McCain puts Lane on same path as House

Mar 1 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

DONALD McCAIN junior is hoping Cloudy Lane can follow in Amberleigh House’s hoofprints this afternoon and in five week’s time.

The eight-year-old is currently the 10-1 favourite for the John Smith’s Grand National and will have his final run before the Aintree showpiece in today’s Coolfun Ltd Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster.

He will face another leading National candidate in the Paul Nicholls-trained Mr Pointment.

But McCain is hoping that by using the same race as Amberleigh House was seventh in before he grabbed National glory for his father Ginger in 2004 it can aid the Trevor Hemmings-owned gelding’s bid to do likewise at Aintree on April 5.

McCain said: “There’s only seven runners and three-and-a-quarter miles around Doncaster looks the ideal place to go. Obviously we have to be careful about the ground, I’ll walk it today and tomorrow but there is rain around. It is the right place to go. It worked for Amberleigh House and I hope it does the same for him.

“It could well be that this is his ground, it is just that this is not his final target. It was good ground at Cheltenham and when he ran in the Irish National as well. If the National was going to be run on the ground it is likely to be at Doncaster I wouldn’t have any problems at all.

“It is just that this isn’t his final target and we hope he comes home in one piece.”

Among the seven runners in the 3m2f Doncaster contest is another National hopeful, the Ferdy Murphy-trained Joes Edge.

The 11-year-old former Scottish National winner was the 8-1 co-favourite for last year’s National but he was pulled up with an injury and has his first start since today.

Murphy is hoping to go back to Aintree this year.

He said: “Basically he struck into himself at Aintree, or got struck into, we don’t know which.

“It wasn’t a lot, but at the same time we’ve been careful with him and it was always the plan to give him just one or two runs before Aintree.

“Good ground should be fine but we could do with just a little bit of rain to take the sting out of it.

“It’s a nice race to start him off in. It’s a real old-fashioned Grand National trial. Most of the others are race fit and he might just struggle, but it is just nice to get him on the track.

“The fences are riding particularly well and they’ve done a real good job of the track, so it will be nice to get a run into him.”

Another National hopeful Slim Pickings, third in last year’s race, is also set for his final run in the Mick Holly Memorial Handicap Chase at Leopardstown tomorrow before returning to Aintree.

Tom Taaffe’s nine-year-old, who is a best-priced 20-1 with William Hill, slipped on his last run. But Taaffe said: “He was fine after it, it was just one of those silly things, he just slipped up on the flat.

“The plan is the National again after he runs on Sunday.

“He ran a fine race over hurdles at Navan (second to Emotional Moment) and I think he would have run a big race the day he slipped up.

“It’s back over fences on Sunday obviously but I’m looking for him to run well. This will more than likely be his last run before Aintree. He has been trained with the National in mind this year.”

WEEKEND NAPS: TODAY: Regal Heights (3.15pm Newbury). TOMORROW: Dark Parade (4.20pm Huntingdon)