Jefferson is heading to Aintree with Ark

Mar 20 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

MALCOM JEFFERSON will send Roman Ark to Aintree hoping to land the John Smith’s Topham Chase two weeks tomorrow.

Roman Ark was among the 87 entries for the 2m5f contest run over one circuit of the Grand National course 24 hours before the big race.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Gungadu, who won the Racing Post Chase at Kempton last month and is one of six entered from the Ditcheat stable, heads the weights on 11st12lb.

But Jefferson is hopeful his flying grey can go close. The 10-year-old had been entered in the National itself but Jefferson took him out of the 4m4fshowpiece due to doubts over his ability to stay the marathon trip.

Jefferson said: “We are aiming Roman Ark at the Topham Chase at Aintree. He was entered in the Grand National but we took him out because we thought the race might be too far for him.

“If the ground is not too fast, which I don’t think it will be, then he will definitely take his chance.

“He likes soft ground and we missed Cheltenham because we thought the going there would be too fast. We’ve gone to the Festival three times before and the ground was good. It was sod’s law that the one we missed proved to be soft!

“As long as it’s good jumping ground then he will certainly line up at Aintree and the extended two-mile-five-furlong trip should be perfect.

“He’s run twice there before, having unseated and then been pulled up, but I’ve got few worries about the Grand National fences.

“We haven’t been hard on him this year and we’ve always looked after him. He’s always been an honest horse and we’ve always let him take his chance and run on his merits.”

Michael Hourigan’s Hi Cloy, who is currently joint top weight with Hedgehunter for the National, is also among the 20 Irish-trained entries.

Hourigan saddles Beef Or Salmon in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Bank Holiday Monday.

The 12-year-old will bid to become the first horse since Flashing Steel in 1995 to carry top-weight to victory in the Irish showpiece.

The 10-time Grade One winner headed the 44 entries for the 4m1f contest with several horses who are also entered in the Aintree equivalent among them.

Tony Martin’s Royal County Star is just one and he is currently the 5-1 favourite with totesport and BlueSquare.

Martin said: “Royal County Star ran over hurdles three weeks ago and ran quite well and I’m happy with him. Hopefully everything will be okay for Monday. He was a bit unlucky in the Kerry National and was third or fourth at the time and looked to have a great chance when he unseated Robbie (Colgan).

“But he gained good compensation in the Troytown when Robbie was very good and it all worked out.”

Others who also hold an entry at Aintree are Willie Mullins’s Alexander Taipan, Homer Wells, and Livingstonebramble.

While of the five British entries with Flintoff and The Outlier are expected to run in Ireland as they will not get in at Aintree.

Meanwhile there were 110 horses entered for the Coral Scottish National at Ayr on April 19, with Welsh National winner Miko De Beauchene the 8-1 favourite.

Ferdy Murphy will run Leading Man and Noir Et Vert, fourth at Cheltenham last week and a 12-1 chance with BetFred, as he bids for a third success in four years following Joes Edge’s win in 2005 and Hot Weld’s victory 12 months ago.

He said: .”Noit Et Vert and Leading Man would be the two for the Scottish National.

“Noit Et Vert ran a great race for his first run at Cheltenham last week. Again the rain came and it went against him. I was within half an inch of taking him out. I didn’t really want to run him on the ground, but after so long out I needed to get a run into him. But he has run an absolute stormer. He missed a couple of fences in the race but that was because of the ground. But he is quite a decent horse.”

TODAY’S NAP: Westfield Dancer (4pm Ludlow).