Chicago is my kind of town

GRAND NATIONAL: IRELAND hasn’t won the Grand National since Silver Birch’s triumph in 2007. But tomorrow the Irish launch a huge assault on the big race in a bid to put that right.

With On His Own, Seabass, Colbert Station and Rare Bob spearheading a powerful challenge, the threat from across the water is immense. But I reckon Chicago Grey is the one they all have to beat.

Trainer Gordon Elliott is a shrewd campaigner who masterminded Silver Birch’s victory, and I am hopeful he can repeat the trick with Chicago Grey, who bounced back to top form following a wind operation to win on his latest start at Navan.

This is a seriously well-handicapped horse. He has had one or two problems, but that has meant a fall in the weights. Tomorrow, he runs off a mark nine pounds lower than when brought down at the fifth fence a year ago.

As a former Cheltenham Festival winner over four miles, he has already showed class and stamina.

The brilliant Paul Carberry is booked to ride and although he is rated only a 50-50 chance to make it after a bad fall this week, Davy Condon is on stand-by and would be an able substitute.

Dangers abound, but Teaforthree has long been a strong fancy for this and the drying ground should really suit this excellent jumper and strong stayer.

I cannot seeing him being out of the first four, while Colbert Station is the “buzz” horse from Ireland and it is interesting that Tony McCoy rides him in preference to Sunnyhillboy, who was just touched off by Neptune Collonges last year.

Roberto Goldback and Balthazar King are two good-ground specialists who look set to outrun their prices, while Soll jumped brilliantly when winning at Sandown last time and could go well at huge odds.


TOMORROW’S race will be run under intense public scrutiny.
The pressure to deliver a casualty-free National is huge following the deaths of two horses during the race for the last two seasons.

The Grand National simply cannot afford more negative headlines this weekend.

VERDICT
1, Chicago Grey

2, Teaforthree

3, Colbert Station

4, Roberto Goldback

Best outsider: Soll