Nicholls trying to get Walsh to ride Turko

Apr 1 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

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PAUL NICHOLLS believes Turko could be the horse to end his John Smith’s Grand National drought.

But he seems to be failing in his bid to convince jockey Ruby Walsh of the six-year-old’s credentials.

Champion trainer Nicholls may have won almost every big race in the National Hunt calendar and is fresh from being top trainer once again at the Cheltenham Festival thanks to chiefly to Denman, Master Minded and Celestial Halo landing three of the feature races at Prestbury Park.

But he has saddled 37 horses in the Aintree showpiece since 1992 and the nearest he has come was with Royal Auclair’s runner-up spot behind Hedgehunter in 2005.

And it seems Walsh is likely to stay faithful to Hedgehunter, who gave him a second victory in the 4m4f marathon three years ago.

The Ditcheat trainer left five horses in at yesterday’s five-day declaration with 99 entries remaining in total, including Nicholls totesport.com Becher Chase winner Mr Pointment among them.

Nicholls, though, expects Turko to run a big race, but he is unlikely to convince Walsh.

Nicholls said: “I’ve been trying my damnedest to prise Ruby off Hedgehunter to ride Turko.

“I really fancy him quite strongly but I don’t have a jockey at the moment. I don’t think I’ll be successful on the Ruby front so we’ll have to see.

“His form in the Lexus Chase and in the Ryanair looks good. There are a lot of horses above him who wouldn’t have run so well in those types of races – you couldn’t see Mr Pointment finishing third in the Lexus or the Ryanair.

“I’m really quite keen on him. He wants to go left-handed and he wants good ground, he’s got lots of ticks in the right boxes.

“I’ve just got to persuade Andy (Stewart, owner) and hope we can find a suitable jockey.”

David Pipe also has seven entries and could run up to five of those with Comply Or Die – a best-priced 11-1 second favourite with Aintree’s official betting partners totesport – and Joaaci among his leading fancies.

Pipe said: “We left them all in today, bar Over The Creek, and hopefully they’ll all run.

“Timmy (Murphy) hasn’t told us which one he’s going to ride yet but Tom Scudamore will probably be on Madison Du Berlais. Johnny Farrelly will be on Joaaci and we’re working on the others.

“To be realistic, you’d have to go for Comply Or Die as he is the 10-1 third favourite.

“He’s won over four miles and one furlong and Joaaci could just have a squeak. He’s hard to get right but if he was to put his best foot forward he looks a big price.”

Cloudy Lane is still the red-hot favourite and both trainer Donald McCain junior and big-race pilot Jason Maguire are in confident mood ahead of Saturday’s contest.

McCain said: “He’s come out of his last race well. He had a little quiet spell but he’s been back in fast work a while now and he’s in really good order.

“He’s in great nick and a bit of sun has made a great difference to all the horses and he’s certainly appreciated it.

“For him to be the first horse Mr (Trevor) Hemmings has sent me he has been unbelievable. He won a bumper, the Red Square Final at Haydock over hurdles and he won at Cheltenham last year.

“Everything we have thrown at him he has done but he faces his biggest task now.”

At present Maguire is not overly concerned about the fact that he may be on board what the bookmakers are predicting could be the shortest priced favourite since McCain’s father Ginger saddled 7-2 market leader Red Rum in 1975 – the year he finished second to L’Escargot.

Maguire said: “I’m sure I’ll have a few butterflies on the day but I’m all right at the moment.

“I schooled him yesterday morning just to give him a pop and he schooled good. I can’t wait just to get on with it – roll on Saturday.

“I think the better ground will suit him better. He wouldn’t want it to come up heavy, but, touch-wood, he is very clever at his fences. He travelled really well at Doncaster last time and he’s very intelligent.”

A total of 16 horses were taken out yesterday with Patsy Hall, Ungaro and Over The Creek the most notable.

TODAY’S NAP: Benandonner (4.45pm Southwell).

JOHN Smith’s Grand National Betting (best prices): Cloudy Lane 11-2 (Coral, VCbet, Partybets), Comply Or Die 11-1 (totesport, Skybet, Sportingbet, extrabet), Slim Pickings 12-1 (Sportingbet), Simon 14-1 (Partybets), Bewleys Berry 16-1 (Sportingbet), Chelsea Harbour 16-1 (totesport, Skybet), Butler’s Cabin 16-1 (generally), Mr Pointment 18-1 (totesport, Sportingbet, extrabet), King Johns Castle 20-1 (Ladbrokes, BlueSquare, Skybet), Snowy Morning 20-1 (Ladbrokes, Coral), McKelvey 22-1 (totesport, Sportingbet), Point Barrow, 25-1 (Ladbrokes), Mon Mome 28-1 (Skybet, Sportingbet), Hedgehunter 28-1 (Sportingbet), Philson Run 28-1 (extrabet). 33-1 Bar.