Gordon Elliott gunning for American Grand National glory with Chosen Mate

Gordon Elliott thinks Chosen Mate has a "great chance" of providing him with a second victory in the American Grand National at Far Hills on Saturday, three years after Jury Duty gave him his first.

Davy Russell is making the trip to the US with Elliott and the pair will also team up with Realist in the Gladstone Hurdle Stakes for three-year-olds, a race the trainer won the last time it was run in 2019 with Global Freedom.

There are only four runners in the American Grand National, run over 2m5f, and the 153-rated Chosen Mate looks to have a gilt-edged opportunity if able to return to the sort of form which saw him land the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in 2020.

Elliott said: "The two horses have travelled over well. There are only four horses in the Grand National and Chosen Mate goes over there in very good form. On ratings, he looks the highest-rated horse in it and should have a great chance.

Galvin has Elliott eyeing Grand National tilt after smooth success

"Realist runs in the juvenile hurdle and he's a lovely young horse with two nice runs under his belt at Down Royal and Listowel. We're flying over there in the morning [Thursday] and I'm looking forward to it."

Among Chosen Mate's rivals in the Grand National is The Mean Queen who won a maiden hurdle at Wexford in April for Keri Brion.

She has since won the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard Handicap Hurdle at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory Handicap Hurdle at Belmont Park since her return to America.

Elliott had two runners in the race in 2019 but the previous year's winner Jury Duty could only finish fourth to the Nicky Henderson-trained Brain Power and The Storyteller came down at the last and unshipped Russell.

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