Aintree 2022

Rachael Blackmore and Minella Times are the focus of attention as the pair bid to repeat last year's historic success on Saturday.

A former favourite for this race – running well to finish fourth– and Dan Skelton’s gelding has winning form over the National fences too, in the Becher Chase. That was all back in 2017, when Blaklion was a spry eight-year-old. A dual Grade One winner and better the further he goes, so a fair chance of a top-10 finish if he rekindles his best form. Lucinda Russell was the last British trainer to win the National, with One For Arthur five years ago, and her runner this year put down an excellent marker with a doughty success in the 2021 Scottish National, when making his sixth start over fences. Seven-year-olds simply don’t win the National these days and while a win in last season’s Thyestes Chase is a plus, he was well beaten off a higher mark in the same race this season. His win in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury in 2019 is one of the best individual pieces of form on offer in this year’s field. Closely matched with Any Second Now on their form in the Bobbyjo Chase in February, when last year’s third gave 8lb to Elliott’s eight-year-old – 1lb more than he will on Saturday – and edged him by a nose. A change of scenery may have helped, having switched from Nicky Henderson to Polly Gundry over the summer, and he was up with the leaders for much of the way in last month’s renewal. That was over two miles and five furlongs, however, and in addition to the question mark over his stamina, the fact he fell on his first attempt over these fences – in the Topham Trophy last season – is another concern. The eight-year-old’s domestic form is rock-solid, however, and Colin Tizzard also resisted the urge to run him at Cheltenham, despite an excellent run in the Ladbrokes Trophy in November that could have persuaded him to aim at the Gold Cup. A sound jumper who goes on any ground, though his stamina is untested at a marathon trip and more dependable stayers can be backed at much the same price. Stamina is unlikely to be an issue – she has looked to be crying out for a test like this for much of her career – but her jumping is generally so-so at best and comes with a tendency to veer sharply right. Looked likely to be a force in the very best races for years to come when he landed the Grade One Betfair Chase in November 2019, but has one win in 10 starts since. Rule The World had not even managed that when he came home in front six years ago, and Run Wild Fred made it plain that stamina will not be an issue when he finished second in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last time.