DEFYING the odds is nothing new to Mon Mome and Venetia Williams. And both are on course to try and do it again at Aintree in April.

Under jockey Liam Treadwell the Williams-trained 10-year-old became only the fifth horse in 170 years to land the John Smith’s Grand National at triple figure odds.

His stunning 12-length success over 2008 winner Comply Or Die was landed at odds of 100-1 last April. Now connections are looking on breaking another statistic by winning the Aintree showpiece for a second successive year.

At Williams’ Kings Caple stables deep in the Herefordshire countryside preparations are already well under way for Mon Mome’s return to Aintree.

The yearly visit to the home of the previous season’s Grand National hero brings up a similar question from the assembled media. Can last year’s National hero become only the seventh dual winner and the first horse since the legendary Red Rum more than 30 years ago to conquer the famous National marathon for a second time?

Recent attempts have proved futile – although Hedgehunter in 2006 and last April the David Pipe-trained Comply Or Die came as close as any when both finished gallant runners-up under welter burdens.

Williams has known enough lows at Aintree – including when suffering a crashing fall aboard Marcolo at Becher’s Brook in 1988 – not to dream too much about a repeat success.

Mon Mome, a 25-1 chance with totesport this time for the National, is due to have his first start of 2010 at Haydock in this Saturday’s Peter Marsh Chase. But Williams, who had her first winner of the year with Noun de la Thinte at Southwell yesterday afternoon, is plotting a course back to Aintree again.

Williams, who became only the second female trainer to win the National, said: “We would love to win again, but it will be tough. Aintree in April is a long way away. “The weather has disrupted Mon Mome’s schedule. I didn’t run him at Chepstow in the Welsh National because I felt the ground was still frosted and the alternative was supposed to be the Gold Cup at Warwick last Saturday which he was placed in a couple of years ago. But that was abandoned.

“The weather has been a setback in his preparations for this weekend at Haydock, but in terms on the National it isn’t a setback.

“I hope he runs a good race – it looks on paper like it will be a very competitive race.”

TODAY'S NAP: Waterloo Dock (4.10pm Lingfield)