Phil Kirby's Bushypark bidding to pull off a North Yorkshire Grand National double

The Phil Kirby-trained 10-year-old brought the house down 12 months ago when claiming victory under Tommy Dowson in the biggest jumps race of the year at his home track.

This year, the 12-stone top weight has conditional Joe Williamson taking five pounds off his back and the gelding owned by The Green Oaks partnership is currently at the head of the ante-post market to go in again.

The horse warmed up for tomorrow’s engagement with victory in his previous outing – the Betfred Merry Christmas Handicap Hurdle – on December 23 at Haydock, with Williamson again in the plate for a two-length win over Jimmy Moffatt’s Our Sam.

It looks a wide open renewal of the three mile five furlong contest – the longest National Hunt race staged at the dual purpose track – with over £10,000 going to winning connections.

Bushypark is being pressed for favouritism by the Tim Easterby-trained Court at Slip, who also won when last seen, claiming the Living North Magazines Handicap Chase at Newcastle on December 14.

He defeated Sue Smith’s fellow 3-1 joint favourite East Street by a neck, when ridden by the trainer’s son William, but over a much shorter two miles and seven furlongs.

He takes the reins again today and also takes five pounds off the horse’s 11 stone 3 pounds weight.

Jonjo O’Neill sends Track and Trace north for the race, partnered by Richie McLernon and Wilsden’s Tjade Collier’s consistent course winner Ladronne is set to be the mount of Sean Quinlan.

Quinlan won the 2018 renewal on Sue Smith’s I Just Know, and the horse went on to compete in that year’s Grand National at Aintree.

Guiseley’s trainer Sam England’s No Cruise Yet due to be ridden by her husband Jonathan, is another previous course winner among the leading contenders.

Another interesting entry in the eight-runner race is Gillian Boanas’ Crixus’s Escape, who won the Better Betting With Sky Bet Handicap Chase at Catterick over three miles and a furlong on December 28.

Ridden by Theo Gillard, who is due to be in the plate again today, he romped to an eleven length victory over the Sam England inmate Elleon and must have a live chance tomorrow if he can see out the longer distance.

The winning owner of the North Yorkshire Grand National will also receive the Denys Smith Memorial Trophy.

Smith, who trained Red Alligator to win the 1968 Grand National at Aintree, was a leading dual-purpose trainer who recorded a remarkable 146 winners at Catterick.

Fiona Needham, Catterick’s clerk of the course is confident the seven-card meeting will go ahead after the loss of a number of fixtures recently around the country due to flooding and waterlogging.

She told The Yorkshire Post: "The current going is soft, heavy in places, but we have had quite a drying wind and it will probably be more like soft.

"We are not expecting any frost and don’t envisage any problems.

"Everyone is looking forward to the race, it is one of our biggest days of the year, there should be a good crowd and hopefully it will be a bit warmer by then, too!”

Julie Harrington, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, says a judgement on the success of Premier Racedays and Sunday evening racing should not be made overnight.

She said: “Ultimately, the objective is to encourage more, better-quality horses to be bred, trained, owned and raced in Britain. The sport has agreed that putting on high-quality, valuable racing is the way to achieve this.

“We must accept that this will not happen overnight. But we have made a start on creating and developing an attractive product.”