GRAND NATIONAL-winning jockey Graham Lee has been snapped up to ride Tom George’s Kilbeggan Blade in next month’s Aintree showpiece.
Lee landed the John Smith’s Grand National aboard the Ginger McCain-trained Amberleigh House five years ago.
George’s 10-year-old has won three times this season over fences and hurdles, but was only second when sent off an odds-on favourite at Warwick last time.
George is pleased with the appointment of Lee and also his charge, who at present has 10st4lb in the handicap and is 33-1 with several firms including William Hill, Coral and totesport for the National. George said: “Everything is fine with the horse and we just have to hope things continue to go according to plan for the next two weeks.
“The National has always been the plan since he won at Sandown in December. He runs best over fences when he is fresh on the back of a hurdle run.
“He’s a great jumper and a run over hurdles just gets him fresh and buzzed up for it.
“We weren’t really disappointed with him at Warwick as the ground was good. He is not a 141-rated hurdler, which is his mark. He would have just needed the run as well and he has come on since then.
“Graham Lee will ride him and he has won the race before and knows his way around there.”
Lee certainly does know his way around Aintree having also been third on Amberleigh House in 2003 as well as finishing top jockey at the meeting the year he won the big race.
The Irish jockey also grew up as an Everton supporter, and although his allegiances these days are divided due to the fact he trains at Middlesbrough FC, Merseyside is a home from home to him.
He looks to have some interesting rides during the three-day National meeting for his boss Ferdy Murphy.
Kalahari King, a close second to Forpadytheplasterer in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham earlier this month, will head the charge for honours at Aintree in the John Smith’s Novices’ Chase a week on Saturday.
While Three Mirrors may bid to go one better than last year when second to Oedipe in the John Smith’s Handicap Chase.
Lee – who landed a double at Haydock on Saturday including in the Business Doctors Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race aboard an interesting Murphy-trained newcomer Mister Wall Street – said: “Kalahari King will run in the two-mile novices’ chase on the Saturday, Beggars Cap could also go to Aintree. He fell at the third last in the Grand Annual and I think there is a two-mile handicap for him.
“Three Mirrors goes in a 3m1f handicap and he was second in it last year. Ground is key to him, not so much trip. He is going up to 3m1f as there is no suitable two mile five furlong. I think he is very versatile trip wise.
“I think the whole key to him is good ground. The better the ground the better for him and the pace in the race. He needs loads of it. Touch wood he is a very good jumper of a fence. He is brilliant.”
On Kalahari King, he added: “Kalahari King would have won by four lengths at Cheltenham if the ground was good. No doubt about it. He only ran so well on the day on ground that was slow for him because it was the first chase of the meeting on virgin ground. If it had been second chase he wouldn’t have finished where he did. But I have no doubt he would have won on good ground. I think he is very good.
“He is a very good jumper of a fence, very athletic and if I had another 100 yards to run at Cheltenham I would have been beaten a length. I couldn’t have timed it any better and the winner just kept pulling out more.
“But I like Kalahari because he is a very exciting horse.”
Meanwhile Stan may miss the National in favour of a trip to Japan.
Venetia Williams’ 10-year-old is still entered in the Aintree marathon on April 4. But connections may take up an invitation for the Grand Nakayama Jump in Japan two weeks later instead.
Owner Paul Beck said: “We’ve got a couple of options with Stan. There’s obviously the Grand National and he’s got an invitation to Japan for the Grand Nakayama Jump.
“We haven’t decided yet, but I’d say he’s probably doubtful for the National and he may go straight to Japan.
“He’s probably too high up the handicap so we might take him to Japan. We’ll make a final decision shortly.”
TODAY’S NAP: Scrape The Paint (4.15pm Plumpton).
