Smith has options to repeat National triumph

After yesterday’s announcement that Auroras Encore was to retire due to a leg injury, his High Eldwick trainer Sue Smith, and her husband Harvey, will now seek back-to-back successes in the world’s greatest steeplechase with Mr Moonshine and also rising prospect Vintage Star.

Pulled up in last year’s race when conservatively ridden, Mr Moonshine showed his liking for Aintree’s unique fences when third in the Becher Chase last month before winning a competitive chase at Musselburgh on New Year’s Day. Former showjumper Smith is said to be convinced the horse can last the arduous four -mile, three-furlong trip.

As for Vintage Star, he was sixth in the Welsh National before finishing a close second in Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase 10 days ago to Wychwoods Brook, who will miss Aintree.

Owned by Trevor Hemmings, who has won the National with Hedgehunter (2005) and Ballabriggs (2011), this year’s renewal could be a year too soon for the eight-year-old – the horse is still relatively inexperienced with just nine chase starts to his name and is still learning his trade, according to his jockey Ryan Mania who rode Auroras Encore to victory.

He is still bereft that Auroras Encore will not race again after sustaining a leg fracture in Saturday’s Sky Bet Chase that required surgery on Tuesday to pin the bones.

Although the 12-year-old horse is said to be recovering, Mania and connections are still tormented by the unexpected end to the horse’s career.

The jockey said: “I’m absolutely gutted, I have a lump in my throat every time I think of him. I just want him home safe and to have a happy retirement.”

Rose Of The Moon, 10th in the Becher Chase, would be a first National runner for Nawton handler David O’Meara, who is predominantly a Flat trainer.

The horse was a recent Wetherby winner under AP McCoy and runs in the colours of Middleham Park Racing, a syndicate based at Barton-Upon-Humber.

Cape Tribulation, fifth in last season’s Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, could represent Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson, while Saltburn trainer Keith Reveley has entered Night In Milan, who won at Doncaster last month.

A total of 115 horses have been entered, up by 31 compared to last year. It is the highest total since 2009, a reflection of both the enhanced prize money and modifications to Aintree’s spruce fences to make them more forgiving.

However, the complexion of the race will become clearer on February 11 when the weights are revealed – the presence at the top of the handicap of the 2011 Gold Cup winner Long Run and the enigmatic but ever popular Tidal Bay, winner of Wetherby’s bet365 Hurdle last November, could leave horses like Cape Tribulation and Mr Moonshine running off far more competitive markets than their connections could have envisaged otherwise.

Due to injuries and retirement, only two of the first six home last year are entered – the third Teaforthree, trained by Rebecca Curtis, and David Pipe’s Swing Bill who was sixth in the colours of the late David Johnson.

He is now owned by Halewood International, parent company of Crabbie’s.

The current 20-1 ante-post favourites are champion trainer Nicky Henderson’s Trio d’Alene and last year’s Welsh National winner Monbeg Dude whose owners include former rugby union internationals Mike Tindall and James Simpson-Daniel.

Trained by Michael Scudamore, the horse’s jumping has excelled this season thanks to extensive schooling with Tindall’s wife Zara Phillips. As for the Smith pair, Betfred offer odds of 33-1 and 40-1 for Vintage Star and Mr Moonshine respectively.

Trainer David Pipe has hinted that Red Sherlock, a facile winner at Wetherby earlier this month, is likely to head for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival in March.

The five-year-old maintained his unbeaten record with a gutsy display to hold off Rathvinden at Cheltenham on Saturday and will head to the Festival with leading claims. While he will also have an entry in the Albert Bartlett over three miles, Pipe already has the ante-post favourite for that contest in Kings Palace.

“The way in which the front two pulled readily clear of the remainder of the field suggests that this was a very good performance,” he said. “Heavy going has been known to exaggerate winning distances, although I see no reason why he shouldn’t be at least as effective on better ground.

“He can progress further and looks a leading contender for the Neptune in March. He will be given an entry in the Albert Bartlett as well, although we have another likely candidate for that in the shape of Kings Palace.”