Leyburn-trained The Real Whacker ready to take his chance in the Randox Grand National

There are four Grade One races scheduled and while Yorkshire runners over the meeting are thin on the ground, the county does at least have a runner in Saturday’s showpiece Randox Grand National.

The Real Whacker is charged with carrying White Rose hopes and while he is around 40-1 in the 34-runner betting market, the ten-year-old trained by Paddy Neville at Leyburn, is a former Grade One and Cheltenham Festival winner.

Gavin Sheehan is due to ride Whacker, winner of last season’s Charlie Hall at Wetherby, in the four-and-quarter-mile contest over the famous Aintree fences.

Among the leading contenders, I Am Maximus heads the maximum field of 34 declared runners as he attempts to emulate Red Rum in the National.

No horse since Ginger McCain’s Aintree legend has won the world’s most famous steeplechase, lost the title and then regained it. Red Rum won in 1973 and 1974 and was second in 1975 and 1976 before bringing the house down with a third victory in 1977.

Willie Mullins’ I Am Maximus – who will be sporting cheekpieces for just the second time, the first being back in December 2022 – won two years ago in the hands of Paul Townend and found only stablemate Nick Rockett too good in 2025 when aiming to be the first dual winner since Tiger Roll.

As well as the past two winners, Mullins also runs Grangeclare West, who was third last year and will actually be the ride of Patrick Mullins, successful aboard Nick Rockett for his father last year but now overlooked in favour of the Bobbyjo Chase winner.

Tom Bellamy picks up a dream spare ride on the defending champion who is owned by Bradford’s Stewart Andrew.

Today’s racing see’s Norton trainer Adrian Keatley’s Indian River is due to go in the opening race of the meeting, the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (1.45).

The horse won a hat-trick of races when switching from Ireland to Norton and ran in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, finishing tenth, but he looks the outsider in this ten-runner field for jockey Danny McMenamin.

Former Cheltenham Festival winning jockey and trainer Fiona Needham sends Great Notions for the two-mile-five-furlong Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase (3.30).

Owned by the trainer’s father Robin Tate, Great Notions finished second in a chase at Sedgfield last month but this is a big step up for the former pointer with Nick Orpwood in the saddle.

Needham, who yesterday oversaw Catterick’s opening meeting of the Flat season in her role as Clerk of the Course told The Jockey Club: “I’ve got a busy week! It’s our opening flat fixture on the Wednesday and then we’ve got the race at Aintree a day later.

"Alongside that we’re due to start lambing too, so I don’t think there will be an awful lot of sleep going on!”

The Boltby-based trainer hopeful that her seven-year-old can hold his own on his first attempt over the world-famous fences.

She added: “He’s in good shape and I was pleased with his last run at Sedgefield, he ran a very good second.

"Looking at the entries it’s probably going to be a big ask, but he’s qualified and there aren’t many times you get a run in the race.

“He’s a good jumper and jumps everything well at home, so I think he’ll take to the fences. He pops them closely and is very sensible, which seems to be what you need for there.”

Antepost market leader Barton Snow, who won the Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase at Cheltenham, is bidding for a sixth successive victory and will likely be a short price to do so.

The North’s leading trainers Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith have Prairie Wolf in tomorrow’s Randox Topham Handicap Chase.