FEW things bring Britain’s families together as much as the John Smith’s Grand National.
Come Saturday like many up and down the land, the Reveleys will come together for the world’s greatest steeplechase. But with one difference in that trainer Keith and his son, jockey James, will be having their first taste of the race as competitors with one of the most fancied horses Rambling Minster.
Aintree folklore is littered with family connections and the Reveleys will look to match the feat of fathers and sons Tommy and Paul Carberry, who teamed up to win the race with Bobbyjo in 1999 and then Ted and Ruby Walsh, who landed a huge gamble with Papillon 12 months later.
And like those Irish combinations, National glory would be celebrated wildly by the North East-based Reveleys.
Even, though, his mother Mary had a couple of horses in the 4m4f Aintree marathon, Reveley – who took over the reigns of the Cleveland stables five years ago – will be saddling his first runner in the race with great expectations.
Victory is a distinct possibility as the lightly-raced Rambling Minster – 10-1 second favourite with most firms – comes into the race in the form of his life.
Having landed a good handicap at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, the 11-year-old scored his biggest career success to date at Haydock last month. Jumping superbly, despite encountering ground that was much too soft for his liking, Rambling Minster took the Blue Square Gold Cup by three and a half lengths from Coe.
The 3m4f Grade Three Haydock heat has been used down the years as the ideal preparation for Aintree. Ginger McCain always stopped off there with Red Rum during the glory days of the 1970s.
The Lingdale trainer is hoping for the same. He said: “He’s just been in great form this season. His run at Cheltenham was rock solid and his Haydock win was a career-best. I think he’s still in great form and I’ve got to keep him like this until the big day.
“He deserves to have a go. It’s an absolute lottery. You can’t go there expecting to win. I just hope with luck in-running he’ll run a decent race.
“He’ll be my first runner. Mum (Mary) had the odd runner, but nothing with a realistic chance. To be fair, to Northern people Aintree is the biggest meeting of the year so it’s absolutely marvellous. They seem a good partnership and luckily enough James won the Grand Sefton over the National fences on Endless Power in the autumn. That will stand him in good stead and at least he’s got round and knows a little bit about the place.
“We are looking forward to it and the horse is on fire at the moment.
