'I couldn't be happier with him' - trainer quotes and big-race analysis for Haydock's Grand National Trial

The Virgin Bet Grand National Trial has been a harmless misnomer for a while. Only two of the last ten winners have gone on to run in the same season's National. It is expected that trend will get worse, more on account of the smaller field limit at Aintree than the delay in releasing the weights, which means that performances in this race can influence a horse's Grand National mark.

On current ratings only two runners in this year's field, Chambard and Highland Hunter, have realistic chances of getting into the Grand National, and they are both veterans who were available at double-figures odds for this race after declarations.

Iron Bridge could be a beneficiary of the later release of the National weights. He holds an entry but would need to win this weekend (he has a second-preference entry in Ascot's 3.00) to have any realistic hope of making the cut. He was a distant second in the Welsh Grand National and has always given the impression of a marathon chaser in the making.

The two seven-year-olds in the field are both worth serious consideration. Yeah Man has been hinting at a big performance in premier handicaps at Ascot and this step up in trip may well suit given how he has been seeing out his races. Cheekpieces go on and it will be worth noting if Sean Flanagan chooses to race closer to the pace.

Snipe has been one of those Dan Skelton horses who thrives for a switch to fences. He passed Southwell's test exuberantly on his chasing debut and has been first or second on all five starts, excepting Exeter in October when he paid for a big move around the field turning in. His win at Aintree on Boxing Day is the key form line, as it shows he will handle deep ground and a thorough test.

As is often the case in this race, an ability to handle the mud is high on the list for any prospective winner. If Thursday's GoingStick reading of 3.5 on the chase course is maintained, it will make this the softest ground at the track this season.

We have already had some pretty mud-spattered days at Haydock this winter, so finding a horse with the credentials to last out is key. Although with the make-up of this field, finding a doughty sort might be enough.

A younger chaser who promises to thrive under a serious test would be the best find of all. In that sense, it may be better to see this race as a trial for the 2025 Grand National.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

'She's hopefully improving faster than her mark is going up'

The victory of owner Celia Djivanovic's gallant My Silver Lining under her son-in-law James Best in the Wigley Group Classic Chase at Warwick provided one of the feelgood highlights of the winter.

Trainer Emma Lavelle now heads to Haydock confident she may still be slightly ahead of the handicapper with an improving eight-year-old in the face of a few rivals in the veteran stage of their careers.

"She’s just got better and better and although each time she’s gone up in the weights, I think she’s hopefully improving faster than her mark is going up, which doesn’t happen very often," said Lavelle.

"She’s still in a nice place and off a nice weight considering the conditions she's going to run in. The ground would be my only reservation. At Warwick, it wasn’t that bad. I know she won on heavy ground over hurdles at Lingfield over two miles, but I just don’t know. They tell me in Ireland she’ll love it and I hope they’re right."

My Silver Lining (James Best) wins the Classic Handicap Chase

My Silver Lining and James Best jump the last in Warwick's Classic ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

The prospect of testing conditions both this weekend at Haydock and again next Saturday at Newcastle swayed Lavelle away from a crack at the marathon Eider Chase.

"My plan had always been to run in the Eider but I just felt that, if the ground was going to come up heavy at Newcastle as well, three and a half miles was going to be nicer for her than four and a bit.

"It’s going to be attritional and those sorts of races are all about rhythm and jumping. That seems to be one thing that she really is very good at doing; getting into that rhythm and being very efficient without using too much energy jumping the fences."

Going update

Haydock officials envisage no issues with racing going ahead on Saturday but conditions will certainly be attritional for the £100,000 Virgin Bet Grand National Trial. On Friday afternoon clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: “It’s still heavy. We had quite a lot of rain earlier in the week and it’s still drizzling so we’re not drying out.”

What they say

Sam Thomas, trainer of Iwilldoit
It was great he was able to skip round Lingfield and the ground wasn't too bad, meaning he didn't have a hard race whatsoever. He's come out of it very well and this ought to be more up his street. I couldn't be happier with him and he seems in a really good place. We wouldn't usually run him so often with a big target like the Grand National Trial in mind. But he's taking his racing very well and if anything, he's come out of his last run better than he ever has. He shouldn't be far away.

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Highland Hunter
He needs to go and run a nice race after being a little bit disappointing at Lingfield. He seems in good form and Tom Broughton takes off seven pounds which will be a help. He had a hard old race at Kelso and maybe we were a bit kind on him after that. The Lingfield race was a very good race but we were still disappointed, we thought we'd go and pick up a bit of third-placed prize-money. It just didn't happen and he stopped very quickly but we couldn't find anything wrong, so hopefully it was just a lack of fitness.

Jonjo O'Neill, trainer of Iron Bridge
He stayed on well at Chepstow and he likes the ground. He's in good old form and we're hopeful of a good run.

Nicky Richards: trainer of Famous BridgeCredit: Edward Whitaker

Nicky Richards, trainer of Famous Bridge
I hope he'll run a big one. He's back at Haydock and he seems very well in himself. It was a ragged start at Doncaster last time, the plan was to be third or fourth on him, but he was third or fourth-last when he got to the first fence. I'm very happy with him.

Gary Moore, trainer of Full Back
It was a bit of a waste of a run at Lingfield last time as he was unlucky to fall. We're back more on a level playing field. He seems well at home, he'll be fine on the ground and hopefully he'll run a big race.

Anthony Honeyball, trainer of Credo
She's run very well behind Famous Bridge there twice before and if she can get closer to him, she should be bang there. She's had five weeks to get ready so goes there a fresh horse.
Reporting by Scott Burton

RP Recommends: how to bet on the Grand National Trial

By Robbie Wilders, tipster

A maximum of 11 horses will line up for Haydock's Grand National Trial, yet many of the major firms are giving punters a leg up with their place terms.

Betfair Sportsbook, Betfred, bet365, Coral, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and Sky Bet are each paying four places, providing bettors with a theoretical 36 per cent place chance for their selection.

Introducing RP Recommends, our new bookmaker advice service

In simple mathematical terms; four places in an 11-runner field equates to eight in a 22-runner one. Therefore each-way is a must for those with access to those firms, although it is worth reading the small print regarding at which point place terms will revert to the standard three in the event of non-runners (gruelling conditions at Haydock makes this a possibility).

If you can’t play with those bookmakers, your best choice is win-only with the firms who are offering only the standard three places. As always, shop around for the best win terms and be mindful of the times the various firms open up their best odds guaranteed concession.

All things considered, bet365 are offering the most competitive prices for the Grand National Trial and are likely to provide punters with the best value.

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