Henry de Bromhead plotting Minella Times’ path to Grand national defence at Aintree

RANDOX Health Grand National winner Minella Times is set to prepare for a defence of his crown by lining up in graded races this season, Henry de Bromhead has revealed.
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmroe celebrate the Grand National win of Minella Times.Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmroe celebrate the Grand National win of Minella Times.
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmroe celebrate the Grand National win of Minella Times.

RANDOX Health Grand National winner Minella Times is set to prepare for a defence of his crown by lining up in graded races this season, Henry de Bromhead has revealed.

The trainer hopes his superstar – ridden to a groundbreaking victory at Aintree by Rachael Blackmore – can become only the third horse in history to win the world’s greatest steeplechase two years running, emulating Liverpool legends Red Rum and Tiger Roll.

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But the JP McManus-owned Minella Times is likely to be taking on some classy opposition before Aintree. “We’ll probably enter him in some of those better graded races,” said the trainer.

Rachael Blackmore celebrates the Grand Naitonal win of Minella Times.Rachael Blackmore celebrates the Grand Naitonal win of Minella Times.
Rachael Blackmore celebrates the Grand Naitonal win of Minella Times.

“He’s up to 159 in Ireland and 162 in England, so he’s up in those graded ratings so I’d say we’ll enter him for some of those better races and see how we fare with him.

“He’ll be entered for the John Durkan at Punchestown and he’ll possibly be ready for that, while there’s a conditions chase at Thurles at the end of this month as well, so the end of this month to early December is what we’re aiming for.

“He’s a high-rated horse and I think we will try these various conditions chases and see how we fare.

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“He’s only really run in handicaps until now, so it will be interesting to see how he gets on. To be honest we’re just kind of seeing how it unfolds, so I wouldn’t like to make any predictions, but he’s a high-class horse.”

Minella Times and Rachael Blackmore surge clear to win the Grand National.Minella Times and Rachael Blackmore surge clear to win the Grand National.
Minella Times and Rachael Blackmore surge clear to win the Grand National.

Reflecting on winning the Grand National, de Bromhead admitted he is still struggling to comprehend the magnitude of his team’s achievements so soon after he saddled the winners of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

He said: “It was pretty surreal. Still now looking at the photos is surreal I have to admit. I’ve never really won these races individually so the whole thing was incredible and I’m probably still just waiting to wake up. You dream of winning the National once, so I wouldn’t dream of winning it twice!

“The race (the Grand National) wasn’t really on my radar really with him until Fran Berry (JP McManus racing manager) said around Christmas time, after his second in the Paddy Power, that he was eyeing up the race for him. It seemed a very good idea as soon as he said it and we went from there.

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“You never really know how they’re going to fare at Aintree and I suppose that he potentially jumps his fences too well, in that he makes such a shape over them, so you don’t really know until you go and do it.

“We made some makeshift fences and the first day he schooled them he was having a right old look at them. It was an exhibition when he went there, he jumped brilliantly and was almost giving them too much height.”

Praising Blackmore’s contribution, the trainer said: “She’s an extremely important part of it all, she gets on great with him and in that race it felt like she was able to look around corners as she was making decisions before things went wrong. She was getting in the right place and I think we got the luck we needed too. The way Rachael was manoeuvring round there was incredible.”

And while last season will go down in history for de Bromhead’s team, the trainer takes nothing for granted – including Ireland’s recent domination of National Hunt racing. “I never thought I would when starting off and the fact that we have is just incredible. I think it’s a cyclical thing,” he said. “I remember when Ireland having one winner at Cheltenham was a big thing. It’s so competitive here but it’s very similar in England.”

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