FERDY MURPHY stood watching Big Fella Thanks at Aintree yesterday dreaming of John Smith’s Grand National glory.

The North Yorkshire-based trainer is one of many who crave success in the world’s greatest steeplechase and he thinks he has a real chance with last year’s fourth Big Fella Thanks.

The 10-year-old was given a spin around Aintree alongside stable-mate Watch My Back – also likely to line up at Aintree in the John Smith’s Topham Chase – in the bright sunshine on Merseyside yesterday.

Fellow trainers Lucinda Russell and Jimmy Moffatt – who will be bidding for the National with Silver By Nature and Chief Dan George respectively – were also at yesterday’s media day where last year’s winner Don’t Push It headed the 74 remaining entries for the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 9.

But Murphy is delighted with his charge, who finished fourth to Don’t Push It last year when trained by Paul Nicholls and is currently a best-priced 16-1 with Sportingbet.

The West Witton handler said: “It’s nice to get them away for the day, it keeps them on their toes and gives them an important change of scenery.

“The ground is fantastic and I’d hope they’d keep it exactly the same for the big day. He’s strengthened up a lot more this year and his two prep runs went according to plan. He looks fantastic and I think he would have a very good chance.

“I think we will ride him more conservatively this year. To be fair to Barry (Geraghty), he was thrust into the race after Ruby (Walsh) got injured and the horse ran with the choke out a little bit. Hopefully we’ll ride him the same way Graham (Lee) did when he won on Amberleigh House – that is to hunt away and leave it late.

“Graham will definitely be prepared for him this year.”

While Murphy is happy with the sunshine and drying ground at Aintree, Russell is hoping for differing conditions for Silver By Nature, who is a 16-1 chance with Victor Chandler, Blue Square and Boylesports.

The nine-year-old was an impressive winner of the totesport.com Grand National Trial for a second successive year at Haydock in February. But that was in testing conditions.

His Kinross handler thinks any rain would aid his cause. She said: “He had quite a tough start to the season and dropped in the handicap as a result which, as it happens, has worked to our advantage.

“He is in fantastic form after what was quite a slog in the Haydock mud and has really come to himself over the last few weeks.

“Although there is no doubt he is a better horse on soft ground, I am sure it will not be good to firm on the day and anything around the good to soft region would be fine.”

Moffatt is confident of a big run from Chief Dan George. He won at the Cheltenham Festival last year, but fell in the same race last week.

He is a 40-1 chance with several firms including William Hill, Stan James, Blue Square, bet365 and Skybet And his Cumbria-based trainer said: “He’s won round Cheltenham and enjoyed himself at Doncaster and Haydock, so I’ve not really got any concerns about the course, although you never can tell.

“This horse has got quick feet and a happy mind – he jumps from fence to fence. He has certainly matured since last year and is definitely as competitive, if not more so.

“He’s very much a spring horse, so we are absolutely delighted with the way the ground is going at this moment.

“I think he is one of the most underestimated horses in the field.”

Jonjo O’Neill’s 11-year-old Don’t Pust It gave champion jockey Tony McCoy an emotional first success in the Aintree marathon last year, but will be forced to concede weight all round to his rivals this time.

The current ante-post favourite is the Willie Mullins-trained The Midnight Club, who is a general 10-1 chance with most bookmakers.

Oscar Time is 12-1 to give Robert and Sam Waley-Cohen a big double following last week’s Gold Cup success of Long Run.

Gordon Elliott’s Backstage, the Donald McCain-trained Ballabriggs and the Alex Ferguson-owned What A Friend are among the leading players still left in the race.

TODAY’S NAP: Youngstown (2.10pm Haydock).