Winning racing’s Grand National would be ‘unbelievable’ says Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood

Westwood, a notable horse racing enthusiast, now co-owns former Irish Gold Cup and Punchestown Gold Cup winner Bellshill with friend Dave Armstrong after Sir Graham Wylie scaled back his interests.

The 11-year-old gelding, previously trained in Ireland by the all-conquering Willie Mullins and ridden to big-race successes by the now retired Ruby Walsh, was allocated a weight of 10st 10lbs at this week’s race launch and will make the 40-runner cut.

Westwood has previously enjoyed Flat success with the Mick Easterby-trained sprinter Hoof It whole Ballyalton, a birthday present for the golfer’s father John, triumphed at the Cheltenham Festival.

More recently, Westwood and Armstrong’s Yorkhill, another acquisition from the Mullins yard, won Newcastle’s Rehearsal Chase under 2013 National-winning jockey Ryan Mania.

A slight setback means Yorkhill has now been retired – the decision was announced just last week – but Bellshill continues to excite 47-year-old Westwood, a multiple Ryder Cup winner.

“To win the National would be unbelievable. It’s what dreams are made of and it’s the biggest horse race in the world,” he enthused.

“Just to have a runner in it is incredible, but to have a winner would be staggering – it’s difficult to put into words.”

Westwood also explained the Aintree showpiece had been close to his heart since he was young. He went on: “The Grand National is very high up in my affections.

“For people in horse racing it is very high up, but I think for people who don’t watching racing regularly it is probably the most famous race of all.

“It’s the one that everyone will have watched at some point and I think if you mention horseracing to the general public, the race they’ll come up with is the Grand National.

“It’s a bit like the Ryder Cup in a way – the majors draw in all the fanatical golf followers, but the Ryder Cup pulls in sport followers and I’d say the Grand National is the same.

“My Grandad likes his racing and we would go round and watch the King George on Boxing Day, but we would also watch the National come Easter time – so those two races are my earliest memories of watching racing, with the National being the one that everybody wants to win.”

Westwood also paid tribute to trainer Sandy Thomson, based in the Scottish Borders, for reinvigorating the now retired Yorkhill and now Bellshill who could have a National prep race at Kelso early next month.

He explained: “He’s great with these older racehorses. I’ve never had a runner in the National and I don’t know whether Dave [Armstrong] has, so to get a horse there is the ultimate achievement.

“Getting an old-ish horse like Bellshill there is an even bigger achievement and if he races you just want him to come back safe and sound. But to just see him jump the fences would be a real buzz if it happens.”

If Bellshill does run in the National on April 10, Westwood will have to follow the race from a different time zone and might even miss it altogether.

“I’m in America at the moment and hopefully I will be teeing off in the third round of the Masters with the lead on Grand National day,” he added.

“It seems to always clash – this golf seems to really get in the way of horseracing at times. The Players’ Championship is the week of Cheltenham and it’s the Masters when the Grand National is on, so what can you do? I’ve got to work sometimes!”

Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson’s Chantry House, third to all conquering stablemate Shishkin in last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, put down a Cheltenham marker by winning a novice chase at Wetherby.

Owned by JP McManus, Nico de Boinville’s mount pulled clear of the well-regarded Coconut Splash in the home straight and could line up in the Grade One Marsh Novices’ Chase at the National Hunt Festival.

The winning jockey declined to be drawn on future targets, but did say better ground would bring out further improvement in the progressive horse who won at Wetherby in spite of the heavy going.

Meanwhile, David Pipe and Tom Scudamore’s fine form since racing’s resumption continued when Umbrigado took the handicap chase – he, too, could be Festival-bound and might step up in trip if the ground does dry out.

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