TONY McCOY admits he doesn’t know whether ride he will partner last year’s winner Don’t Push It or Welsh National hero Synchronised in the John Smith’s Grand National.
As preparations for this year’s National continue apace with several Aintree candidates set to run in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster this weekend, McCoy admits he could be in a quandary come April 9.
After he completed the National set with Synchronised’s success at Chepstow, McCoy said he would most likely stay loyal to Don’t Push It, who helped him land the Aintree showpiece for the first time on his 15th attempt.
That success last April also played a huge part in him being named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
But with the handicap for the National to be revealed on February 15, McCoy believes the big weight set to be handed to Don’t Push It – plus the weight of history – it will be a tough task for the Jonjo O’Neill-trained 11-year-old to land the race in successive seasons.
The 15-time champion jockey said: “Realistically Don’t Push It is going to be handicapped on his form of last year, which is going to make it tough for him because Red Rum was the last horse to win back-to-back Grand Nationals.
“I have watched horses in recent years who I thought were very capable of winning back-to-back Grand Nationals – Hedgehunter was one. He was a very good Grand National winner when he won and was second behind Numbersixvalverde the next time. Comply Or Die was a very good Grand National winner and he couldn’t win again so it is getting hard for horses to win back-to-back Grand Nationals.
“At the same time it would be hard not to ride Don’t Push It as he gave me the best day of my racing life.”
McCoy is unsure whether Synchronised – a 25-1 chance with Victor Chandler and Sportingbet – will take to the Aintree fences.
He said: “You don’t know until they have a go. Some horses I thought would be very good weren’t and vice versa – horses you think won’t be very nice tend to jump well.”
One horse who is heading to Aintree for the Grand National is Merigo and he will take the next step on the road in this Saturday’s Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.
Andrew Parker’s Scottish Grand National hero was among the 29 entries for the three-mile handicap.
The 10-year-old is a 25-1 with Victor Chandler for Saturday’s contest and the same price with most bookmakers for the National despite falling in the Becher Chase in November.
Parker said: “Merigo is intended for the Sky Bet Chase at this moment. He’s a horse that always comes to hand after Christmas – basically, he’s a spring horse. He is in great form, so we just need to get some miles on the clock this season because he’s only had one and a half runs with his fall at Aintree last time.”
“The intention is to take him to Aintree for the Grand National, if he gets in. It would have been nice to have finished in the frame in the Becher Chase, gone up four or five pounds and then been guaranteed to get a run in April.
“We might be just a couple of pounds shy of getting in the Grand National, so if not, the Scottish Grand National is a couple of weeks later and it’s not a bad plan B to have.”
King Fontaine, who was due to run in the abandoned Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock, is likely to run at Doncaster. Trainer Malcolm Jefferson said: “He might not have to carry as much weight this weekend as he would have done at Haydock. The fact it’s a week later is no issue to him, he’s very well.
“As far as I’m concerned he’ll go there because there isn’t much else for him, only the National trial at Haydock.
“I’m not sure if he’s the right type for the William Hill at Cheltenham.”
TODAY’S NAP: Tornado Bob (1.10pm Leicester).
