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grand national 2010 / entries

State Of Play Heads Straight to Aintree
04/02/10

Evan Williams is keeping State Of Play’s powder dry ahead of the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 10, with the trainer happy to send last year’s fourth to the world’s most famous steeplechase without another run.

State Of Play
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The 10-year-old is one of 112 classy entries announced today for the four and half-mile showcase, which carries record prize money this year of 925,000.

State Of Play, a 33/1 chance with Aintree’s official betting partner totesport, performs best when fresh and Williams’ charge, whose only start since that game effort in defeat behind Mon Mome last year saw him pulled up in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, won by Denman, at Newbury in November.

Williams revealed today: “State Of Play is doing great. He had a bit of a problem in his lumbar region after the Hennessy, which explains why he ran no sort of a race there. It was a minor problem that we sorted out, he’s in full work right now and I am very happy with him.

“We were pleased with his run in the John Smith’s Grand National last year. He jumped exceptionally well and the only mistake he made was at the one before Becher’s, second time. He got shuffled back about 12 to 15 lengths at that point but then he got back into the race quite nicely between the second last and the last.

“I could only be happy with how he jumped the fences and how he enjoyed the race.

“My plan was to go straight back there after last year’s race without a run. In a funny sort of a way, it is probably a good thing that we took him to Newbury for a day out and had that run around there.

“He will go straight to the John Smith’s Grand National now. All of the very best runs in his life have come after a long break and there is no point in running him anywhere else before the Grand National.”

The last three winners of the John Smith’s Grand National could lock horns this time around as Venetia Williams has engaged the 2009 hero Mon Mome, who is rated a 20/1 chance by totesport to become the first horse since Red Rum (1973 and 1974 wins) to record back-to-back Grand National victories. Williams’ other entries are Flintoff, part-owned by cricketer Andrew Flintoff and Officier De Reserve. Comply Or Die, runner-up last year having been victorious in 2008, is one of nine entries for trainer David Pipe. Irish handler Gordon Elliott has entered the 2007 winner Silver Birch. Elliott has also entered Backstage, last seen winning at Ffos Las in August. The John Smith’s Grand National continues to see horses returning year on year, with the 2009 renewal attracting the previous two winners, while the last time three previous winners lined up was in 2005.

My Will was third in 2009 for trainer Paul Nicholls and could again take his chance, meaning that, with Cerium and Big Fella Thanks also engaged, the first six home from that renewal have all been entered once again.

The British champion trainer is yet to taste victory in the race and has engaged five classy individuals, including Grade One winner Taranis, victorious in the Grade Two Argento Chase at Cheltenham last Saturday. Also entered from Ditcheat are totesport’s current 16/1 ante-post favourite Tricky Trickster, a winner over four miles at the Cheltenham Festival last season, Nozic and Big Fella Thanks.

The Pipe-trained contingent also includes the in-form veteran Our Vic, successful from the Charlie Longsdon-trained Seven Is My Number.

With two victories in the race (1998 Earth Summit, 2002 Bindaree), Nigel Twiston-Davies is the most successful current trainer. He has seven entries including last season’s Scottish Grand National victor Hello Bud, 2009 John Smith’s Topham Chase winner Irish Raptor, Ollie Magern and Rehearsal Chase hero Beat The Boys.

Trust Fund was the heroic victor in the John Smith’s Fox Hunters’ Chase over the Grand National fences last year under amateur Tom Greenall and is owned by his father, Aintree’s chairman, Lord Daresbury.

Snowy Morning
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Willie Mullins, who saddled the 2005 winner Hedgehunter in five consecutive John Smith’s Grand Nationals, has 10 horses entered, more than any other trainer. The Irish champion trainer’s high-quality contingent this time could include last year’s ninth Snowy Morning and the 11th Irish Invader, as well as the up and coming Troytown Handicap chase winner Beroni, Equus Maximus, Arbor Supreme and Jayo.

L’Escargot in 1975 was the most recent John Smith’s Grand National winner to also triumph in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup but the Mouse Morris-trained Kilcrea Castle, Kornati Kid, Louping d'Ainay, New Alco, Offshore , Oodachee, Parsons Legacy, Parsons Pistol, Pomme Tiepy, Razor Royale, Royal County Star, Silver Birch, Sizing Australia, Star de Mohaison, Trabolgan, Whinstone Boy, 66 Belon Gale, Chief Dan George, Darkness, Deutschland, Erics Charm, Follow The Plan, Jayo, Merigo, Mr Pointment, Mumbles Head, One Cool Cookie, Over The Creek, Pablo du Charmil, Piraya, Preists Leap, Treacle, Trust Fund, 100 Anothercoppercoast, Bible Lord, Boychuk, Chiaro, Conna Castle, Duers, Faasel, Kilbeggan Blade, Kings Advocate, Knowhere, Lennon, Lorum Leader, Made In Taipan, Old Benny, Ollie Magern, Pak Jack, Royal Rosa, 150 Cossack Dancer, Wee Robbie, 200 Offaly

1/4 the odds 1-2-3-4

John Smith's Grand National - totesport Specials

2/1 - Irish-trained winner of the Grand National
5/1 - Mon Mome to finish in first four
14/1 - Female-trained winner of the Grand National

THE 2010 JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL

Class 1, Grade 3, 925,000 total Prize Fund. 4.15pm, Aintree, Saturday, April 10, 2010, four miles and four furlongs. For six-year-olds old and upwards which are allotted a rating of 110 or more by the BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking of races run up to and including February 14, 2010. Horses which are not qualified for a rating in Great Britain or Ireland at February 2, 2010, may also be entered. Such horses may be eligible for a weight providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse's racecourse performances to February 14, 2010, would merit a minimum rating of 110. To qualify horses must have run at least three times in Steeple Chases run under the Rules of Racing of the same Recognised Turf Authority up to and including February 14, 2010. At the Handicapper's discretion such horses may be allocated a rating. The decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final. No penalties after publication of the weights. Highest weight 11st 10lb. Entries closed February 2, entries revealed February 3 (112 entries), weights revealed February 16, first scratchings deadline March 2, second scratchings deadline March 23. Five/six-day confirmation stage April 5, final declaration stage 10.00am, April 8. Form figures supplied by Wetherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, February 1.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

23/32-31 ABBEYBRANEY (IRE) 9 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson

5/44-U33 ACCORDING TO JOHN (IRE) 10 Sir Robert Ogden Nicky Richards

22506-P AIR FORCE ONE (GER) 8 Brian Walsh (Co. Kildare) Charlie Mann

03-P136 ALBERTAS RUN (IRE) 9 Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill

00F421 ANOTHERCOPPERCOAST (IRE)10 Eileen Queally Paul Roche IRE

330-30U ARBOR SUPREME (IRE) 8 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE

011231 BACKSTAGE (FR) 8 Capranny Stablestaff Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE

2P-4P15 BALLYFITZ 10 F J Mills & W Mills Nigel Twiston-Davies

P6-5111 BALLYHOLLAND (IRE) 9 Cathal McGovern Colin McBratney IRE

P01-1U0 BALLYTRIM (IRE) 9 Violet O'Leary Willie Mullins IRE

FP-1P1P BEAT THE BOYS (IRE) 9 New Club Ladies Nigel Twiston-Davies

31F4-22 BELON GALE (IRE) 7 Andrea & Graham Wylie Howard Johnson

5-31110 BERONI (IRE) 8 Margaret O'Rourke Willie Mullins IRE

6FF-1FU BIBLE LORD (IRE) 9 M Tedham Andy Turnell

2U136-2 BIG FELLA THANKS 8 Maggie Findlay & Paul Barber Paul Nicholls

P151U-0 BLACK APALACHI (IRE) 11 Gerard Burke Dessie Hughes IRE

51-63F3 BOYCHUK (IRE) 9 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs

314F-01 CAN'T BUY TIME (IRE) 8 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

03-635P CANE BRAKE (IRE) 11 Mount Temple Racing Sydicate Tom Taaffe IRE

P15P-14 CASEY JONES (IRE) 9 Gillian Burke Noel Meade IRE

50PP/05- CERIUM (FR) 9 Judith Wilson Paul Murphy

143301- CHARACTER BUILDING (IRE) 10 Mrs E Wright John Quinn

F0-5260 CHELSEA HARBOUR (IRE) 10 s Duffin/Sean Corby Tom Mullins IRE

53414-0 CHIARO (FR) 8 Andrew Cohen Philip Hobbs

115-300 CHIEF DAN GEORGE (IRE) 10 Maurice Chapman Jimmy Moffatt

31FU-36 CLOUDY LANE 10 Trevor Hemmings Donald McCain Jnr

2F0-226 COE (IRE) 8 Trevor Hemmings Sue Smith

1/P002-0 COMPLY OR DIE (IRE) 11 David Johnson David Pipe

043545 CONNA CASTLE (IRE) 11 Kings Syndicate Jimmy Mangan IRE

253-346 COSSACK DANCER (IRE) 12 The United Front Partnership Mark Bradstock

3P///3P10- DARKNESS 11 Lady Lloyd-Webber Charles Egerton

113-412 DEUTSCHLAND (USA) 7 Allan McLuckie Willie Mullins IRE

201-423 DON'T PUSH IT (IRE) 10 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill

02U-301 DOONEYS GATE (IRE) 9 Thomas Gilligan Willie Mullins IRE

PUPP/-21 DREAM ALLIANCE 9 The Alliance Partnership Philip Hobbs

111P20 DUERS (IRE) 8 Kate Kelly/Kate Ronan Paul Magnier IRE

00-1210 ELLERSLIE GEORGE (IRE) 10 Guy Henderson Nick Mitchell

P23-15P EQUUS MAXIMUS (IRE) 10 Greenstar Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE

02P5-01 ERIC'S CHARM (FR) 12 Martin St Quinton & Peter Deal Oliver Sherwood

0P03-40 FAASEL (IRE) 9 Hush Hush Partnership David Pipe

P63/52-P FLINTOFF (USA) 9 Andrew Flintoff & Paul Beck Venetia Williams

112130- FOLLOW THE PLAN (IRE) 7 Cavan Developments Bloodstock Oliver McKiernan IRE

145-261 GALANT NUIT (FR) 6 David Parry Ferdy Murphy

4211-54 GLENFINN CAPTAIN (IRE) 11 J P McManus Tom Taaffe IRE

P2-205P GONE TO LUNCH (IRE) 10 Gary Lever Jeremy Scott

11-035B HELLO BUD (IRE) 12 Seamus Murphy Nigel Twiston-Davies

P31314/- IRIS DE BALME (FR) 10 L M Power & G D Peck Sean Curran

231110- IRISH INVADER (IRE) 9 Sackcloth & Ashes Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE

U01-4U5 IRISH RAPTOR (IRE) 11 Caroline Beresford-Wylie Nigel Twiston-Davies

45-1552 JAYO (FR) 7 Peter Garvey Willie Mullins IRE

15-5003 JOE LIVELY (IRE) 11 Richard Dimond Colin Tizzard

2P6-53P KILBEGGAN BLADE 11 Kevin Doocey & Anne Doocey Tom George

6126-23 SEVEN IS MY NUMBER (IRE) 8 David Johnson David Pipe

F3-1323 SIEGEMASTER (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE

0F-26r2 SILVER BIRCH (IRE) 13 Brian Walsh (Co. Kildare) Gordon Elliott IRE

456-232 SIZING AUSTRALIA (IRE) 8 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE

110322 SNOWY MORNING (IRE) 10 Quayside Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE

0240UP- STAR DE MOHAISON (FR) 9 Sir Robert Ogden Martin Todhunter

60/144-P STATE OF PLAY 10 William & Angela Rucker Evan Williams

12/14P/-1 TARANIS (FR) 9 Angela Yeoman Paul Nicholls

03-0231 THE PACKAGE 7 David Johnson David Pipe

1/1///P6-4 TRABOLGAN (IRE) 12 Trevor Hemmings Nicky Henderson

1/3F-116 TREACLE (IRE) 9 Bjorn Nielsen Tom Taaffe IRE

22121-2 TRICKY TRICKSTER (IRE) 7 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls

11P/11-1 TRUST FUND (IRE) 12 Lord Daresbury Richard Barber

0-21150 VIC VENTURI (IRE) 10 J P Dunne Dessie Hughes IRE

P23041 WAR OF ATTRITION (IRE) 11 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE

0/13P/-FP WEE ROBBIE 10 P H Betts (Holdings) Ltd Nick Gifford

P4F131 WHINSTONE BOY (IRE) 9 Whinstone Syndicate Jimmy Mangan IRE

112 entries

38 Irish-trained

1 French-trained