Grand National encore unlikely for jockey Blackmore

Rachael Blackmore, the first female jockey to win the Grand National last year on Minella Times, will travel to Aintree on Saturday for this year’s race knowing pundits give her no chance of achieving back-to-back wins.

Things have gone decidedly pear-shaped for Minella Times in recent months, with his last three appearances resulting in one fall and twice pulled up. In addition, he is up 5.9kg in the weights.

Still, trainer Henry De Bromhead remains upbeat. He told reporters: “We found a couple of issues and treated them. He worked nicely the other day and I believe we’ve got him back on song.”

The two horses heading for the National market are Any Second Now and Delta Work. The former, trained by Ted Walsh, ran third in 2021 and advertised his chance by winning the Bobbyjo Chase at Leopardstown in February.

Delta Work spoiled the party for Tiger Roll’s legion of fans when just shading the dual National winner in the Cross Country chase at Cheltenham. Provided the Aintree race doesn’t come too soon, he holds a strong each-way chance. However, the worry is that Delta Work’s trainer, Gordon Elliott, is battling to get among the winners. Indeed, the Racing Post has him on its “cold trainers” list.

The figures make worrying reading for the stable’s followers. It went 16 days and 59 runners without a winner until Platinumcard won at Ayr last Friday. Since that winner, it is 0-11. It is a low strike rate for a powerful yard.

Trainer Jonjo O’Neill’s charge, Cloth Cap, started favourite for 2021’s race but was never travelling well and was eventually pulled up. The gelding has since undergone wind surgery.

O’Neill commented: “I’m very happy with his prep. He has to have good ground — it would catch him out if it was on the soft side.”

His son Jonjo Jnr will ride Easysland, who is an 80-1 shot in ante-post betting. “Stranger things have happened so we might as well have a go,” said O’Neill.

Apart from Delta Work, Gordon Elliott, who had a disappointing Cheltenham, will be represented by Escaria Ten. He was beaten by a nose by Any Second Now at Leopardstown in February.

Trainer Charlie Longsdon will saddle Becher Chase winner Snow Leopardess, but no mare has won the race since Nickel Coin in 1951.

Though Irish trainer Willie Mullins dominated last month’s Cheltenham meeting, he appears unexcited by his quartet of runners — Burrows Saint, Brahma Bull, Class Conti and Agusta Gold.

“The team might not be as strong as other years. You’d rather some of them had better runs prior to the National. But it’s the National, who knows what’s going to happen?”

Regarding Burrows Saint, a 16-1 chance who finished fourth last year, Mullins said: “He is fine. You would rather have had a better race in the Bobbyjo [beaten by 42 lengths] and it’s going to be hard to turn the form around with Any Second Now.”

GRAND NATIONAL BETTING

Aintree, Saturday

(6.15pm SA time)

8-1 Any Second Now, Delta Work

12-1 Escaria Ten

14-1 Enjoy D’Allen

15-1 Snow Leopardess

16-1 Fiddlerontheroof, Longhouse Poet, Minella Times, Run Wild Fred

25-1 Others