'It's a fantasy' - champion point-to-point trainer Tom Ellis takes out full licence to saddle Latenightpass in Grand National

Champion point-to-point trainer Tom Ellis is taking out a full trainer's licence and will saddle one of Britain's big Randox Grand National hopes Latenightpass in next month's Aintree showpiece.

The 11-year-old has been trained this season by Dan Skelton, but Ellis said: "I'll never get another chance to train a horse for the National who's owned and bred by my mum and will be ridden by my wife [Gina Andrews]."

Warwickshire-based Ellis has been Britain's most successful point-to-point trainer for the past five seasons and has saddled more than 300 winners including hunter chases.

He undertakes his final trainer’s module on March 22 and hopes to receive the licence the following day and expects Latenightpass, who is priced between 25-1 and 33-1 for the Grand National, to be his first runner.

Latenightpass won the Aintree Foxhunters' in 2022 and has form figures of 214 in races over the National fences. He finished first and second in two runs at Cheltenham's cross-country course this season when trained by Skelton and was last seen when fifth in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Haydock last month.

Thanking Skelton for his role in lifting the horse’s rating to one which guarantees him a run in the Grand National, Ellis said: “Dan has done a fantastic job. We’ve been best mates since the age of 11 and we’ve always got on like a house on fire with never a cross word. I value his opinion.

Tom Ellis (right): will train Latenightpass in the Grand National

“At 16 I got my first two pointers and he and I would ride them out together, we joined the Cheltenham Young Members’ Club at the same time and went to every meeting and we both rode round there in a hunter chase. When I floated this idea and asked his advice he gave it to me, the good and the bad, and it’s lovely that through Latenightpass we’ve been on another journey together.

“The horse has never stopped surprising us and giving his all – it's a fantasy to be on the verge of training a National runner. We’ve trained him to run at three Aintree Festivals, but for the Foxhunters’ on the Thursday, not the National on the Saturday and we recognise the challenge he faces.

“I’m taking nothing away from Dan when I say the biggest difference to the horse this year has been taking weight off his back [by running in handicaps]. He’s a small horse and light-framed who has been carrying 12st in races all his life. If Hewick stays in the weight our horse carries in the National will be the second-lowest he has ever carried.

“The quirky nature of the cross-country course and the National fences suit him when they might not suit all horses. He's a brilliant jumper.”

Ellis said his wife would take on responsibility for the yard’s point-to-pointers, and added: “Certainly in the medium term there will be little change. We have a lot of loyal owners, some who have said they would be happy to have runners under rules, others who prefer point-to-pointing. Our focus will remain on producing nice young horses, whether that is through pointing or bumpers and hurdles.

“Gina has no plans to retire from riding and point-to-pointing has been very good to me. I’ve had a lot of fun, made a lot of friends and met my wife. The sport has taught us everything we know and more, but I would be daft not to grab this new opportunity and give it a go.”

Randox Health Grand National, 4.00 Aintree, April 13

bet365: 10 I Am Maximus, 12 Corach Rambler, Vanillier, 16 Mahler Mission, Noble Yeats, Panda Boy, 20 Galvin, Kitty's Light, Meetingofthewaters, 25 Capodanno, Chemical Energy, Monbeg Genius, 33 Ain't That A Shame, Delta Work, Hewick, Latenightpass, Minella Indo, Nassalam, Stattler, Threeunderthrufive, 40 bar

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