Yorkshire hopes are faint for National triumph

This year’s renewal of the Aintree race has attracted a high-class 
entry of 84 runners – an increase of two compared to 12 months ago.

The figure confounds those who believed that owners would not risk their horses over the modified fences after the unfortunate deaths of Synchronised and According To Pete last April.

The Willie Mullins-trained pair of On His Own, a faller at Becher’s Brook last year, and Prince De Beauchene are the market leaders at 16-1.

However the chances of a Yorkshire-trained horse prevailing for the first time since Merryman II in 1960 appear to be remote. There are just three local entries – the Sue Smith pair of Auroras Encore and Mr Moonshine, plus the Ferdy Murphy-trained Poker De Sivola.

Beaten in a photo finish in the Scottish National, Auroras Encore perhaps holds the best chance of the Smith pair if he makes the 40-runner cut.

“Track and trip should not be a problem for Auroras,” said Smith who trains near Bingley with her husband Harvey, the showjumping legend.

“He ran a great race in the Scottish National under Ryan Mania but he does need a bit of good ground. He doesn’t like a bog.

“The entry for Mr Moonshine, who we own, is a provisional one. We’ll just see how we progress. We’re just looking for good ground.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure he is a four mile-plus horse, but I’ve put him in just to see what’s what. I think he’d jump round.”

There’s no guarantee that the fragile Poker De Sivola, winner of the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April 2011, will make the field.

Even though he jumped fluently over the National fences in the Becher Chase last month when finishing seventh to the now retired Hello Bud, he was dropped three pounds by the official handicapper. And, with connections not prepared to risk the 10-year-old on bottomless ground, Murphy is almost resigned to Poker De Sivola missing out.

The bigger picture will become clearer on February 11 when the official weights are revealed, but Murphy said: “He will struggle to get in.

“We have got two weeks to run, but it’s not going to happen on this soft ground. I don’t see why I should punish the horse just to get him the race – we may just have to wait a year.

“It’s a shame because James Reveley couldn’t have been happier with him in the Becher, and said that Poker would be even better in April on better ground. What can you do?”

If Yorkshire’s wait for a National victory has been a long one, spare a thought for Wales. Its only winner of the race was Kirkland way back in 1905.

The eight Welsh entries are headed by Cappa Bleu, a lightly-raced 11-year-old who was an eyecatching fourth last year to the now retired Neptune Collonges.

Cappa Bleu encountered significant trouble in running, but his trainer Evan Williams is bullish. “He ran a very promising race last year. He got a few bumps along the way and was lucky to stand up with some loose horses and fallers around him. I thought he did incredibly well to finish as close as he did,” he said.

“He is a very unexposed horse and his inexperience probably caught him out last year. Everything has been very good with him since his comeback at Carlisle (second of five in November) and, given the way the weather has been, I am delighted we managed to get the run into him when we did. He holds entries this weekend. I am very keen to get another run or two into him before Aintree.”

There are 32 entries from Ireland, including seven from the stable of Willie Mullins who appears to hold a strong hand with the aforementioned Prince De Beauchene and On His Own whose fall at Becher’s last year brought about the demise of Malcolm Jefferson’s According To Pete.

Another leading Irish raider is Ted Walsh’s Seabass who finished third last year when ridden by the trainer’s daughter Katie whose CV includes a Cheltenham Festival win in 2010 on Murphy’s Poker De Sivolva. This was the best result by a female rider in the race’s 165-year history.

Although the Emerald Isle has not struck gold since Gordon Elliott’s Silver Birch in 2007, this could all change with Ladbrokes offering just 4-6 the most valuable prize in National Hunt racing being won by an Irish-trained horse.

Sunnyhill Boy, beaten on the line by Neptune Collonges, is one of seven entries for owner JP McManus whose colours were carried to an unforgettable victory in 2010 by AP McCoy aboard Don’t Push It. He is the most likely mount for the 17-times champion jockey who was on the ill-fated Synchronised last year.

Though Neptune Collonges is now enjoying a well-deserved retirement, his trainer Paul Nicholls has entered revitalised Wetherby winner Tidal Bay; Becher Chase second Join Together and the Sir Alex Ferguson-owned pair of Harry The Viking and What A Friend.

It could be a momentous day for Ferguson; the date clashes with the Manchester derby that will be pivotal to the Premier League’s outcome. The football boss wants a lunchtime kick off, which would give sufficient time to travel to Aintree after the final whistle.

The only former winner in the race is Ballabriggs, Donald McCain’s 2011 hero, while the race could feature former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander who defied his advancing years to finish a gallant second in the Argento Chase last Saturday after being sidelined for nearly two years with niggling injuries.