Clouds was so gutsy

THERE have been many worthy winners of the Grand National, but few have been more courageous than Saturday's hero, Many Clouds.

Had the eight year old not dug into the deepest of his reserves, he wouldn’t have held off Saint Are and triumphed in the world's greatest steeplechase.

Under Leighton Aspell, who had landed the previous year's National on Pineau De Re and was emulating the feat of Brian Fletcher (Red Rum 1973 and ’74) Many Clouds was putting behind him a disappointing sixth place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

His winning run under second top weight of 11 stones, 9 pounds, was a mighty effort and one that left him with head bowed in exhaustion afterwards. A wobble followed and there were fears for the horse's welfare. But trainer Oliver Sherwood reassured everyone that the horse had done the same thing after winning the Hennessy Gold Cup earlier in the season.

After a dozen buckets of water were thrown over him, Many Clouds was fine, even though he knew he had been in the battle of his life.

Many Clouds was in great shape at Sherwood's Lambourn yard yesterday morning. The trainer said: "He has eaten up and has been running round the field, bucking and kicking.

"I would have preferred to have won the Gold Cup, but I'm not going to turn my nose up at a National!”



twitter: @KeithMcHughOC