Friday, March 28, 2008

REBEL READY FOR AINTREE TEST

The 11-year-old, a short-head runner-up in the 2005 Scottish Grand National when trained by Paul Nicholls, runs in the colours of Williamson’s brother-in-law John Halewood, who enjoyed his greatest moment as an owner when Aintree favourite Amberleigh House triumphed in the 2004 Grand National.

Williamson revealed this morning: “Cornish Rebel is an intended runner. He’s fine, he’s fresh and he’s well - we are happy with him, so the plan is to take him there.

“We are pleased with his progress this season. I think he has retained plenty of his ability, he is a quirky character but he has enjoyed the change coming here.”

Cornish Rebel, a brother to triple totesport Gold Cup hero Best Mate and Halewood’s 2006 John Smith’s Grand National eighth Inca Trail, joined Williamson ahead of the current campaign. His three outings this term have come in hunter chases, yielding a pair of runner-up finishes prior to a ninth-place effort behind Amicelli in the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last time.

The Saighton Hall handler continued: “We dropped him down in class to hunter chases to try and get his confidence back. He was bursting blood vessels but we seem to have cured that at the moment.

“He didn’t jump well in a big crowd at Cheltenham last time so at Aintree maybe we will just try and find a space for him on his own, if that’s possible. He didn’t like being crowded by horses in the Foxhunter Chase and had one that fell in front of him, but he ran on well.

“He is a bit of a monkey but we have built some national fences here and he is jumping those well at the moment, so he seems to be enjoying it. I’d like to see him finish in the first 10.”

Williamson has a strong John Smith’s Grand National connection through the success of Halewood, who is married to her sister Judy Eaton, herself a former trainer.

Williamson added: “My sister bred and trained Harley, who ran in the race behind Seagram in 1991 and is still with us now. He’s 28 and is still ridden today, and of course John had the 2004 winner Amberleigh House, who is now in retirement at the National Stud.”

Cornish Rebel, a Grade One winner as a novice over hurdles, also finished third in the Coral Welsh National, Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and Royal & SunAlliance Chase (all in 2005), and pulled-up before the 19th fence in the 2006 John Smith’s Grand National, having been badly hampered at the first. He is set to carry 10st 12lb.

The Tote, the official betting partner of the John Smith’s Grand National Meeting at Aintree, make Cornish Rebel a 100/1 chance for the world’s most famous steeplechase.

The John Smith’s Grand National is a major global sporting event with an estimated worldwide audience of 600 million people in 140 countries. The fantastic event takes place at the renowned Aintree racecourse, which is located in Liverpool, the 2008 European Capital Of Culture.

The 161st running of the John Smith’s Grand National is the highlight of the fantastic three-day John Smith’s Grand National Meeting, which commences on Thursday, April 3, and is the North West’s premier social event.

Friday, April 4, is the extremely popular Ladies’ Day, while John Smith’s Grand National Day, Saturday, April 5, commences at 12.40pm with the John Smith’s People’s Race, offering ordinary people the unique opportunity of competing in a real horse race.

Tickets remain available for all three days of the John Smith’s Grand National Meeting - go to www.aintree.co.uk or ring 0151 522 2929.

The next confirmation stage for the John Smith’s Grand National is at the five-day stage on Monday, March 31.

20 JOHN SMITH'S GRAND NATIONAL FACTFILES

Race Record: Starts: 17; Wins: 4; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 1; Win and Place prize money: £91,917

Andrea & Graham Wylie
Multi-millionaire Graham Wylie, 48, from Whitley Bay, made his money in the computer software industry. After graduating from Newcastle University in 1980 with a degree in Computer Science and Statistics, he founded Sage with David Goldman, Phil Lever and Paul Muller, selling accountancy software in 1981. The company grew through acquisition, floated on the stock exchange in 1989 and continued to get bigger. After stepping down as managing director of Sage in May, 2003, Wylie sold a number of his shares and gained over £120 million. Wylie is the son of Scottish parents - his father was a coalminer from Stirling and his mother a seamstress from Hawick, where Wylie was born. A huge Newcastle United fan, he married Andrea Stone at Slaley Hall, Northumberland in May 2003 - the event was described as the “north-east’s wedding of the decade,” and was attended by over 250 guests, including Alan Shearer and Sir Bobby Robson. Pop superstar Ronan Keating performed at the couple’s wedding (for a reputed £175,000), singing When You Say Nothing At All, from the 1999 film Notting Hill, which the couple saw on their first date. The first horse the pair owned - a flashy grey picked out at Howard Johnson’s County Durham stable - was Lord Transcend, named after Andrea’s hair and beauty salon in Hexham. Lord Transcend won at 33/1 on his debut at Newcastle in March, 2002, and went on to prove himself a high-class horse over hurdles and fences, winning six times in all, before a leg injury sustained at Haydock in January, 2006, cut short his racing career. Having caught the ‘racing bug’ through the success of Lord Transcend, Graham and Andrea Wylie have invested millions of pounds in the racing industry and currently own around 100 horses, all in training with Howard Johnson. At Doncaster’s 2003 May Sale, Graham Wylie set a then record for a jumps horse when paying 340,000 guineas for Royal Rosa, which was a wedding present for his wife. He enjoyed a superb Cheltenham Festival in 2005, taking the World Hurdle with Inglis Drever, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Arcalis and the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle with No Refuge. In 2007, Inglis Drever reclaimed his Ladbrokes World Hurdle title and this season became the first horse to win the race for a third time. Inglis Drever’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle triumph was the highlight of a fantastic 2008 Cheltenham Festival for the Wylies as Tidal Bay also won the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy. Graham Wylie founded a new company, Technology Services Group (TSG), in 2003. He owns Close House Country Club and golf course and Gosforth Shopping Centre, and was awarded a CBE for his services to industry in the 2004 New Year’s Honours list. The Wylies live close to Hexham in Northumberland and Andrea, 35, has also excelled at showing dogs (www.transcendshowdogs.com), another interest they share, winning the best of breed prize at Crufts this year with miniature English bull terrier Transcend Racing Sash. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Bewleys Berry (Fell 22nd)

Howard Johnson
Born in Barnard Castle, Co Durham, on August 11, 1953, Howard Johnson began training in 1984 and sent out his first winner, Tabriz Gold, at Kelso on February 26, 1985. He was involved with the pony club from a young age and assisted his father Roy, who trained a few horses under permit at the family's White Lea Farm on the outskirts of Crook in Co Durham as well as tending a 100-strong dairy herd. Johnson spent two years learning the ropes with legendary Northern trainer Arthur Stephenson and initially harboured hopes of becoming a Flat jockey, something that never materialised, and his achievements as a rider amounted to just one win on the veteran Trim Lawns. He still combines cattle farming with training at White Lea Farm, although over the past five years he has considerably stepped up his training operation, thanks to the huge investment of owner Graham Wylie. Wylie's involvement in the Johnson yard played dividends at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival with three winners - Arcalis in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, No Refuge in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle and Inglis Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Inglis Drever landed a second Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival and scored an historic third victory in the race at this year’s Festival, when Tidal Bay also won the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy. Other significant successes for Johnson include the Betfred Gold Cup (1994 Ushers Island) and the National Hunt Challenge Cup Chase at Cheltenham (1993 Ushers Island). His victories at Aintree include the John Smith's Melling Chase with Direct Route in 1999 and 2000 and Grey Abbey in the 2005 totesport Bowl, while the latter also won the 2004 Scottish Grand National. His owners include former Newcastle United captain Alan Shearer. Wylie owns most of the horses he has in training although Johnson shares ownership of horses that run under the Transcend Bloodstock banner. John Smith’s Grand National record: 1991 Old Applejack (8th); 1992 Old Applejack (7th); 1994 Ushers Island (UR 3rd); 1995 Over The Deel (3rd); 1996 Over The Deel (9th), 1998 Joe White (PU bef 15th), Winter Belle (PU bef 21st); 1999 Castle Coin (UR 24th); 2005 Ballybough Rasher (Ref 22nd); 2006 Tyneandthyneagain (Fell 1st); 2007 Bewleys Berry (Fell 22nd)

Denis O’Regan
Denis O’Regan, 26, enjoyed the thrill of briefly leading the John Smith’s Grand National field on the second circuit in his first ride in the great race last year. Unfortunately, O’Regan’s mount, Ballycassidy, blundered and deposited him on the turf at the Canal Turn. O’Regan rode 13 winners as an amateur before turning professional at Downpatrick in September, 2003. Born in Youghal, Co Cork, on March 24, 1982, to Denis and Derleine O’Regan, the jockey has no family involvement in racing – his father runs Lombards Pub in Youghal. O’Regan is good friends with Niall Madden - who rode Numbersixvalverde to victory in the 2006 John Smith’s Grand National. He joined the powerful Co Durham stable of Howard Johnson in the summer of 2007 but prior to that his biggest victory came on Ansar in the 2005 Galway Plate for trainer Dermot Weld and a few months later he rode his first Cheltenham winner when the Michael Hourigan-trained Church Island won a novices’ chase at The Open meeting held in November. In October, 2006, at Wexford, he rode his first treble on Hard Scuffle and Irish National for boss Noel Meade, and Mission Impossible for Philip Rothwell. He has enjoyed a fantastic start to his association with Johnson and owners Andrea & Graham Wylie. O’Regan partnered two winners for the connections at the Cheltenham Festival in March, guiding Tidal Bay to success in the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy and sealing an historic win aboard Inglis Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hudle, a third triumph in the race for the great horse.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Ballycassidy (UR 24th) .

BUTLER’S CABIN (FR) FACTFILE

b g Poliglote - Strictly Cool (USA) (Bering)

8-11-03
Form: 22/4337/311143011-373
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill
Breeder: Chris Buckley
Jockey: Tony McCoy

Butler’s Cabin
Butler’s Cabin was a 25,000 guineas purchase at Tattersalls in October, 2001. He made his racecourse debut for owner J P McManus and trainer Jonjo O’Neill in an extended two mile, one furlong bumper at Folkestone on November 15, 2004, finishing second to Noble Action. He filled the same berth in a Newbury bumper 13 days later to conclude his initial campaign. Butler’s Cabin commenced his second season in December, 2005, with fourth place in a Bangor bumper. He then had three starts in novice hurdles, coming home third twice before a disappointing effort at Leicester on January 24, 2006, brought another premature end to his season. He returned to action for the 2006/2007 season at Worcester on September 3 and posted a promising first effort over fences, coming home third, a length behind Cansalrun. He finally opened his account on October 15, 2006, in a two mile, three furlong handicap chase at Hereford. Success at Aintree came just six days later in the Win At Intercasino.co.uk Handicap Chase over two and a half miles. Three days on and Butler’s Cabin secured a rapid hat-trick when winning an extended two and a half mile handicap at Cheltenham. He continued his progress with a fine fourth to Exotic Dancer in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham that November. Third at Newbury later that month, he was then a disappointing 10th behind Exotic Dancer in the boyelsports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham and was given a break before returning at the Cheltenham Festival on March 15. Stepped up significantly in trip, he benefited from the fall two out of Gungadu to take the four mile, one furlong National Hunt Chase from Character Building. Jonjo O’Neill then sent his charge to the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on April 9 and Butler’s Cabin ended his campaign with a fantastic victory under Tony McCoy. Butler’s Cabin started out the 2007/2008 season at Leicester on January 8, when he was a promising third to Jack The Giant in an extended two and a half mile handicap chase. He has disappointed on his two most recent outings. At Sandown on February 2, he was a distant last of seven finishers behind Gungadu while, although finishing third at Wincanton in the Country Gentlemen’s Association Chase over an extended three miles and a furlong on February 16, he was 54 lengths behind the winner Neptune Collonges.

Race Record: Starts: 18; 1st: 5; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 6; Win & Place Prize Money: £176,334

J P McManus
Few people have enjoyed a closer association with jump racing in the last 30 years than John Patrick ’J P’ McManus, who was born in Co Limerick on March 10, 1951. He left his father’s plant hire business at the age of 20 to become a racecourse bookmaker, but then took the less well-trodden route of gamekeeper-turned-poacher when becoming a professional punter. McManus recalls one of his first bets as being on Merryman II in the 1960 Grand National when he was just nine, but the bet that changed his life was £4 on Linden Tree in a Newmarket maiden in 1970, the horse winning at 100/8. He had another £4 on when Linden Tree won the Observer Gold Cup at 25/1, and £5 each-way at 33/1 for the Derby, when the horse beat all bar Mill Reef. Although still one of the highest-staking punters on the racecourse, “The Sundance Kid” (as he was dubbed by journalist Hugh McIlvanney after a number of major gambles in the ring during the 1970s) is also the biggest National Hunt owner in terms of numbers in Britain, Ireland and France with over 250 horses and has a string of other business interests including dealing in financial markets from his Geneva base and part-ownership of the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, where he also has a house. With John Magnier, he bought a 28.7% stake in Manchester United through the Cubic Expression company before subsequently selling out to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer. The pair have also invested in the Barchester chain of nursing homes, which was revalued at £1 billion in 2006, Castlebeck care homes, a property company that owns Unilever House in London and leisure clubs, including the Chelsea Harbour Club. Since Mister Donovan landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 1982, he has enjoyed 29 Festival successes, headed by three-time Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq and Baracouda, who landed the 2002 & 2003 renewals of what is now the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and finished second in 2004 and 2005. Istabraq and Baracouda are now retired at McManus’s Martinstown Stud in Co Limerick. He does a lot of work for charity and his Pro-Am golf tournament, where Tiger Woods regularly plays, has raised millions of euros. McManus is also a keen backgammon player and a big hurling fan. He owns Jackdaws Castle, the Gloucestershire yard that Jonjo O’Neill trains from, and has invested heavily in improving facilities. He was British champion owner for the last two seasons (2005/06 & 2006/07) and looks like being so again this season. He has become increasingly serious about trying to win the John Smith’s Grand National, having five runners in 2004, six in 2005, four in 2006 and two in 2007. Clan Royal went close when second in 2004, was carried out when in the lead at Becher’s second time around in 2005 and was third two years ago. The Sunday Times Rich List estimated McManus’ wealth at £561 million in 2007.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1982 Deep Gale (Fell 1st), 1988 Bucko (PU bef 27th), 1992 Laura's Beau (3rd), 1994 Laura’s Beau (Fell 6th), 1996 Wylde Hide (UR 24th), 1997 Wylde Hide (UR 22nd); 1998 Gimme Five (5th), 2002 Spot Thedifference (UR 27th); 2003 Youlneverwalkalone (PU bef 13th); 2004 Clan Royal (2nd), Spot Thedifference (5th), Risk Accessor (UR 6th), Le Coudray (Fell 22nd); 2005 Innox (7th), Spot Thedifference (18th), Shamawan (21st), Clan Royal (CO 22nd), Le Coudray (PU before 21st), Risk Accessor (UR 2nd); 2006 Clan Royal (3rd), Risk Accessor (5th), Innox (Fell 1st), First Gold (UR 23rd); 2007 L’Ami (10th), Clan Royal (11th)

Jonjo O’Neill
Jonjo O’Neill was a highly successful jump jockey and has established himself at the top of the training ranks in recent seasons. In spite of an appalling list of injuries, he was champion jockey on two occasions (1977-78 and 1979-80), and he set a then record for a season of 149 winners in his first championship year. The most sensational moment of his riding career came when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Dawn Run in 1986 as the mare became the only horse to win that trophy after having previously taken the Champion Hurdle (1984), also with O’Neill in the saddle. He also won the Gold Cup on Alverton in 1979, though he had a dreadful record in the Grand National, in which he never completed the course in spite of having had a number of fancied rides. He retired from the saddle at the end of the 1985/86 season and, having survived lymphatic cancer not long after that, started training near Penrith, Cumbria, in 1987. He forged a reputation with horses such as Vicario Di Bray, winner of the 1989 Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, and Legal Right, who landed the Grade Three Tripleprint (now Boylesports) Gold Cup at Cheltenham in 1999 and went on to capture the BGC Silver Cup at Ascot as well as the Grade Two Tommy Whittle Chase. He moved to his present base at Jackdaws Castle in Gloucestershire, not far from Cheltenham, when the yard was bought by owner J P McManus in 2001. His victories at the Aintree Festival as a trainer include Quazar in the John Smith’s Anniversary 4YO Novices’ Hurdle in 2002, Clan Royal in the 2003 John Smith’s Topham Chase, Iris’s Gift (2003) and Black Jack Ketchum (2006) in the Citroen C6 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, Iris’s Gift in the 2004 John Smith’s Liverpool Long Distance Hurdle, Refinement(2006) and Alberta’s Run (2008) in the John Smith’s Extra Cold Handicap Hurdle, Two Miles West (2007) in the John Smith’s Handicap Hurdle, Exotic Dancer (2007) in the totesport Bowl. His Cheltenham haul consists of wins in the National Hunt Chase with Front Line, Rith Dubh, Sudden Shock, Native Emperor and Butler’s Cabin, the JCB Triumph Hurdle with Spectroscope, the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle with Master Tern, the Pertemps Hurdle Final with Danny Connors and Inching Closer, the 2004 Ladbrokes World Hurdle with Iris’s Gift, the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle with Black Jack Ketchum and Wichita Lineman, the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase with Drombeag and the Royal & SunAlliance Chase with Alberta’s Run. His Cheltenham Festival tally rose to 15 this term with the win of Alberta’s Run in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2003 Carbury Cross (7th); 2004 Clan Royal (2nd), Joss Naylor (PU bef 19th); 2005 Simply Gifted (3rd), Shamawan (21st), Native Emperor (UR 9th), Clan Royal (CO bef 22nd); 2006 Clan Royal (3rd), Risk Accessor (5th); 2007 Clan Royal (11th)

Tony McCoy
Born May 4, 1974, Tony McCoy is the greatest jump jockey of his era and many would argue the greatest of all time. McCoy started out with Billy Rock before trying his luck as a Flat jockey with Jim Bolger. Since growing too heavy and turning to jump racing he has not looked back. He was champion conditional rider in Britain in 1994/95 when attached to Toby Balding's Hampshire yard and took his first senior title the following season with 174 wins. His domination has brought 12 consecutive jump jockey's titles and he is currently heading for number 13 as he is over 20 winners clear of his nearest challenger approaching the John Smith's Grand National meeting. McCoy broke Peter Scudamore's record of 221 wins in the 1997/8 season with 253 successes and broke his own record for the fastest 200 winners in the 1999/2000 season, ending up with 245 successes. In 2001/02 he beat by 20 the record of 269 winners in any season set by Sir Gordon Richards. He has passed the double century mark five times. He had a fairytale 1998 Cheltenham Festival, riding five winners, and also rode a rare double the previous year on Make A Stand in the Champion Hurdle (for his boss Martin Pipe) and Mr Mulligan in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. McCoy added a second Champion Hurdle when successful on Brave Inca in 2006. In April, 2004, he left Martin Pipe's stable after accepting a reportedly huge offer from J P McManus and rides for McManus's principal trainer in Britain, Jonjo O'Neill. McCoy, O'Neill and McManus teamed up to capture the Irish Grand National with Butler's Cabin just five days before the 2007 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree. That was the jockey's first success in the race. He failed to complete the course on each of his first five rides in the John Smith’s Grand National before Blowing Wind took third in 2001 and again in 2002. McCoy teamed up with Clan Royal in 2005 and the pair were steaming along in front before being unluckily carried out by a loose horse at Becher's Brook on the second circuit. He finished third for a third time in 2006 when Clan Royal crossed the line just over seven lengths behind Numbersixvalverde. McCoy cracked a vertebra in a terrible fall Warwick in January but was back in winning action with Alberta’s Run at the Cheltenham Festival in March. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1995 Chatam (Fell 12th), 1996 Deep Bramble (PU bef 2 out); 1998 Challenger Du Luc (Fell 1st); 1999 Eudipe (Fell 22nd); 2000 Dark Stranger (UR 3rd); 2001 Blowing Wind (3rd), 2002 Blowing Wind (3rd), 2003 Iris Bleu (PU bef 16th); 2004 Jurancon II (Fell 4th); 2005 Clan Royal (CO 22nd); 2006 Clan Royal (3rd); 2007 L’Ami (10th)

CHELSEA HARBOUR (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Old Vic - Jennyellen (IRE) (Phardante FR))

8-11-02
Form: 6/06626610U2/100F4114U0-04P3F6514
Owner: Frances Duffin
Trainer: Tom Mullins IRE
Breeder: J R Weston

Chelsea Harbour
A beaten favourite on his debut in a bumper at Punchestown in April, 2005, Chelsea Harbour switched to hurdles for his next two starts but failed to land the spoils, finishing ninth and sixth. Reverted to bumpers, he was sixth again before being returned to hurdles and coming second at Tramore on New Year’s Day, 2006. Another two sixth place finishes in January were followed by success in a two mile and six furlong handicap hurdle at Thurles on February 23. He ran poorly on his next outing in the two and a half miles John Smith’s No Nonsense Handicap Hurdle at Aintree, while he returned for a similar event over three miles at Punchestown later that month but unseated his rider at the fifth. He ran there two days later and finished a close second in a novices’ hurdle. Chelsea Harbour returned to the County Kildare track on May 20, 2006, when he landed a two and a half mile hurdle. Campaigned over fences the following winter, Chelsea Harbour ran in four beginners’ chase before getting off the mark in a two and a half mile handicap chase at Naas on January 7, 2007. Back at Naas on January 20, he landed a Grade Two novices’ chase before finishing fourth in the Grade One Dr P J Moriarty Novices’ Chase at Leopardstown the following month. He travelled to Cheltenham that March for a crack at the Grade One Royal & SunAlliance Chase but was well held when unseating his rider five from home. He ended last season with 10th place in the Irish Grand National. This season began in a amateur riders’ Flat race at Galway in October, but he was well beaten. His following two starts in chases failed to result in success, while he ran a good third in a Navan handicap hurdle in which fellow John Smith’s Grand National hopeful Slim Pickings was second. He took a heavy fall at the first in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, before filling being sixth and fifth on his next two starts in valuable handicap chases. He dug deep to land the Grand National Trial over three and a half miles at Punchestown on February 3, 2008. On his most recent outing, he finished fourth in a two mile and three furlong handicap chase at Leopardstown on March 2.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 30; Wins: 5; 2nd 2; 3rd 1; Wins and Place Prize Money: £74,543

Frances Duffin
Like most racehorse owners, Dubai-based Irishman Paul Duffin and his wife Frances have always wanted to have a runner in the world’s most famous chase, the John Smith’s Grand National. A long-term patron of the Mullins yard, Paul has also enjoyed numerous Flat successes, including in Dubai, while the pair have been involved in a number of other horses. He is chief executive officer of the PK Group, which includes PK Properties, PK Rent and PK Retreats, with his partner Keith Cox. Duffin has seen his colours carried to glory many times, most recently with Chelsea Harbour, Court Leader and Made In Taipan, while Time Electric, owned in partnership with Sean Corby, was the ante-post favourite for this year’s Cheltenham Festival bumper before connections decided to keep him for Punchestown. Although Chelsea Harbour carries Duffin’s bright orange colours, Shango Corby and Pat Brady are joint-owners. Duffin also owned a share in Blue Dakota, a smart performer on the Flat and winner of the 2004 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. John Smith’s Grand National Record - no previous runners

Tom Mullins
Tom Mullins, born in May, 1964, is a son of the legendary trainer Paddy Mullins. Along with riding successfully as an amateur rider for almost 10 years, Tom completed the Thoroughbred Breeding Course at the Irish National Stud and spent some time in America before returning home to assume the role of assistant trainer to his father. Together the father and son team enjoyed great success until Tom branched out on his own and saddled his first runner in April 2004 ahead of Paddy’s retirement the following year. In the early part of Tom’s career, Asian Maze was the stable star, winning five races - four Grade Ones, including the John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle and the Scottish & Newcastle Aintree Hurdle, and one Grade Three. John Smith’s Grand National hopeful Chelsea Harbour has also been a good servant to the yard, winning five races including a brace at Grade Two level. He is based at Doninga, near Goresbridge in Co Kilkenny, from where his father trained. John Smith’s Grand National Record - no previous runners

CLOUDY LANE (GB) FACTFILE

b g Cloudings (IRE) - Celtic Cygnet (Celtic Cone)

8-10-11
Form: 21/F21121/361201U-5111
Trainer: Donald McCain Jnr
Owner: Trevor Hemmings
Breeder: Gleadhill House Stud Ltd
Jockey: Jason Maguire

Cloudy Lane
Trevor Hemmings’ homebred Cloudy Lane has headed the John Smith’s Grand National antepost market since defying a 20lb rise to outpoint Ungaro by seven lengths in the Coolfun Ltd Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster on March 1, with totesport.com Becher Chase winner and former market leader Mr Pointment last of the six finishers. Cloudy Lane has enjoyed a career full of promise. He was runner-up on his career debut in a Uttoxeter bumper on April 30, 2005, and went one place better at Southwell the next month. The following campaign saw him open his account over hurdles at the third attempt, scoring over two and a half miles at Haydock in January, 2006. He returned to the course and distance the following month and, racing on heavy ground, saw off this season’s Welsh National winner Miko De Beauchene. A runner-up finish at Bangor over three miles followed but Cloudy Lane ended the 2005/2006 season with a third triumph at Haydock, seeing off subsequent Pertemps Final hero Oscar Park by six lengths in the Red Square Vodka “Fixed Brush” Novices’ Hurdle Final. Cloudy Lane’s debut over fences came at Aintree in the Digital Prints From Bonusprint.com Novices’ Chase on October 22, 2006, when he was third to Turko. He was then only sixth to Mr Pointment at Bangor that November but hit the scoresheet in a three-mile beginners’ chase at Newcastle on December 16 that year. A return to the course and distance saw a blunder at the last, with the race at his mercy, bringing defeat at odds on, and a foray into handicap company in the Grade Three Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock was a bridge too far at that stage of his career as he came home a distant 10th. He bounced back in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup to give his trainer a first success at the Cheltenham Festival. His novice season ended when he was hampered and unseated Tony Dobbin in the Irish Grand National. Cloudy Lane has progressed throughout the 2007/2008 season. Defeat on his seasonal bow was followed with victory over Comply Or Die in the Sodhexo Prestige Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock on December 22. On February 9, he went to Ayr and trounced Another Rum by eight lengths, carrying top-weight of 11st 12lb on heavy going, before completing the hat-trick in fine style at Doncaster. Race Record: Starts: 19; Wins: 9; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 1; Win & Place Prize Money: £130,960

Trevor Hemmings
Trevor Hemmings, who was born on June 11, 1935, boasts a classic rags to riches story. Born in London, he was sent to Lancashire as a child during World War II and began life as a bricklayer’s apprentice and rapidly worked his way up the Pontins holiday business to the extent that he was able to sell it on to Scottish & Newcastle in exchange for a significant share holding in S & N (1989). He bought Pontins back in 2000 but retained a stake in S & N, which netted him £218 million when the company was sold in January. He is also a major shareholder in Arena Leisure Plc, which owns Folkestone, Lingfield, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Windsor racecourses and manages Doncaster, Great Leighs and Worcester. Arena is also a major shareholder in broadcaster At The Races that owns some of British racing’s media rights. Hemmings’ many other interests include Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens in the North West resort. His empire also includes hotels, a wallpaper business and in June, 2000, another company in which he has a major share, Rodime Plc, paid £161 million for the Littlewoods pools business, which included the bookmaker Bet Direct (since sold). He was said to be worth £980 million in the 2007 Sunday Times Rich List. He also owns a share of Preston North End FC. In recent years he has stepped up his involvement in racing and fulfilled one of his greatest ambitions when Hegehunter carried his colours to victory in the 2005 John Smith’s Grand National. After years of trying, Hemmings finally emulated his mentor Fred Pontin, owner of the 1971 National hero Specify, with his 13th Grand National runner Hedgehunter. His first winner came on the Flat in 1985 but Hemmings now brings on young jumping stock at Gleadhill House Stud, managed by former trainer Mick Meagher, at his base at Chorley in Lancashire, and at his Monymusk Stud in Co Cork. He first tried to win the John Smith’s Grand National with the Stan Mellor-trained Rubika, who finished 14th in 1992. His 80-plus horses are split between Sue Smith, Nicky Henderson, Henrietta Knight, Nicky Richards, Henry Daly, Willie Mullins, Jonjo O’Neill, Peter Beaumont, Ferdy Murphy, Chris Grant, Donald McCain Jnr, Oliver Sherwood, Paul Nicholls, Alan King, Nigel Twiston-Davies and Malcolm Jefferson while he has predominantly younger stock with Eugene O’Sullivan in Ireland. Hemmings, who was made an honorary Jockey Club member in December, 2006, resides in the Channel Islands and is said to have paid £12 million for the Ballavodan estate on the Isle Of Man. Hemmings had a double at this year’s Cheltenham Festival with Albertas Run in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase and Old Benny in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase. John Smith’s Grand National Record (since 1980): 1992 Rubika (14th); 2000 The Last Fling (7th); Esprit De Cotte (Fell 22nd); 2001 The Last Fling (UR 5th), Esprit De Cotte (UR 11th); 2002 Goguenard (Fell 1st), Beau (UR 14th); 2003 Southern Star (14th), Chives (PU bef 12th); 2004 Arctic Jack (Fell 1st), Southern Star (PU bef 9th), Hedgehunter (Fell 30th); 2005 HEDGEHUNTER (Won), Europa (20th); 2006 Hedgehunter (2nd), Juveigneur (Fell 1st), 2007 Hedgehunter (9th), Billyvoddan (PU bef 19)

Donald McCain Jnr
Born on March 13, 1970, Donald McCain Jnr is the son of Ginger McCain, trainer of the legendary Red Rum, the only horse to win the John Smith’s Grand National three times (1973, 1974 and 1977) and also Amberleigh House, the 2004 victor. Donald learnt to ride on his sister Joanne’s pony Gambol and rode in his first race on the Flat aged 15 (his father told a few white lies so he could ride) at Haydock Park. He subsequently became a jump jockey, firstly as an amateur and then a professional, riding around 40 winners under Rules. He rode several times over the Grand National fences, finishing fifth aboard Harley in the 1992 Fox Hunters’ Chase and 17th on Sure Metal in the 1996 Grand National. He also spent time working in the stables of Luca Cumani, Sir Michael Stoute and Oliver Sherwood. Donald subsequently became assistant trainer to his father at Bankhouse Stables at Cholmondeley in Cheshire and played a significant role in Amberleigh House’s Grand National victory in 2004. He was expected to take over the licence from his father at the start of the 2006/2007 jump season, but had to wait until June, 2006, before he was able to train in his own name as he needed to complete the appropriate British Horseracing Authority courses. Donald’s first winner as a licensed trainer came with Bearaway in a handicap chase at Newton Abbott on June 8, 2006. He secured his first Cheltenham Festival triumph with Cloudy Lane in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase last season when he had 40 winners and had a second Festival success this year via Whiteoak in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle. Donald is assisted by Ginger McCain. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Idle Talk (UR 19th)

Jason Maguire
Jason Maguire, who was born on April 13, 1980, is the nephew of former top-jockey-turned-trainer Adrian Maguire. He started out in Irish pony races and partnered his first British winner, the Tony Martin-trained Search For Peace, at Cheltenham on November 12, 1999. He began riding for Gloucestershire trainer Tom George shortly after coming to Britain and enjoyed a seven-year partnership that yielded a Cheltenham Festival victory in 2002 when Galileo took the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. Maguire's working relationship with George, which was never contractually formalised, ended in January, 2007, and he is now attached to Donald McCain’s Cheshire stable. Maguire has had six John Smith's Grand National rides, with his best placing coming when finishing ninth on Tremallt in 2003. He took the valuable Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton in 2003 on Non So and captured the 2007 John Smith's Midlands Grand National on Baron Windrush. He had a second Cheltenham Festival success this year on Whiteoak in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2001 No Retreat (PU bef 17th); 2002 Birkdale (10th); 2003 Tremallt (9th); 2005 Europa (20th); 2006 Lord Of Illusion (PU bef 17th); 2007 Idle Talk (UR 19th).

COMPLY OR DIE (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Old Vic - Madam Madcap (Furry Glen)

9-10-09
Form: 11214/1211F2P6/4P//0P21
Owner: David Johnson
Trainer: David Pipe
Breeder: Martin Dibbs
Jockey: Timmy Murphy

Comply Or Die
Originally trained by David’s father Martin, Comply Or Die posted an easy victory on his racecourse debut in a novices’ hurdle at Taunton on October, 2003. After another comfortable win in a similar event, Comply Or Die stepped up to Graded company and followed a good second in the Grade Two Persian War Novices’ Hurdle at Chepstow with a convincing three-length victory in the Grade Two Tripleprint Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, 2003. A good first season finished with a sound fifth behind Fundamentalist in the Grade One Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March, 2004. Having started his chasing career with a victory at Bangor and a second behind Ollie Magern at Cheltenham, Comply Or Die took the spoils in the Grade Two Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton in November, 2004. Comply Or Die returned to the Cheltenham Festival in March, 2005, finishing second behind Trabolgan in the Grade One Royal & SunAlliance Chase, before being pulled up in the Scottish Grand National the following month. He finished the 2004/05 season with a creditable sixth in the Betfred Gold Cup, before beginning his second season chasing with a good fourth, again behind Trabolgan, in the Grade Three Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury. Comply Or Die’s season was cut short after suffering a setback in the Coral Welsh National, and it was nearly two years before he saw a racecourse again. Lining up in a handicap chase at Cheltenham in October, 2007, Comply Or Die lacked race fitness and finished a weary 16th. The gelding also disappointed on his next run when pulled up in the Grade Three Servo Computers Services Trophy Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on November 17. The application of blinkers produced a far better display in the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock on December 22, and Comply Or Die ran his best race for several years when finishing second behind John Smith’s Grand National favourite Cloudy Lane. Racing over a marathon extended four miles in the Eider Chase at Newcastle on February 23, Comply Or Die showed that he would have the stamina necessary for the John Smith’s Grand National with a brilliant eight-length victory, despite being burdened with top-weight.
Race Record: Starts: 19; Wins: 7; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £156,385

David Johnson
Johnson’s is a classic rags-to-riches tale. A docker’s son, born in 1944, from the East End of London, he began working at the Midland Bank in East Ham for £9 a week aged 16 and soon set up in the moneylending business. In 2001 he sold his company, which employed 1,000 people, for £216 million and is now CEO of Commercial First, which he set up in the autumn of 2002. A trip to Newmarket races in the mid 1980s resulted in an introduction to trainer Robert Williams and the purchase of a share in the two-year-old Mister Majestic, who went on to win the 1986 Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. Despite his colours being the reverse of Robert Sangster’s, he concentrates on jumpers and had his first victory over hurdles when Beebob scored at Chepstow in November, 1992, the start of a highly successful partnership with 15-time champion National Hunt trainer Martin Pipe (now retired). His horses were generally bought in France, including Arkle Chase winners Or Royal (1997) and Champleve (1998) and Cyfor Malta, winner of the Topham Chase as well as the Paddy Power Gold Cup (twice) and Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham. But in the last few years he has bought horses from Ireland including a large team from Tom Costello, such as the chasers Our Vic, Therealbandit and Celestial Gold, winner of the 2004 Paddy Power and Hennessy Gold Cups. Johnson finished the 1997/98 campaign as the leading owner over jumps, took the title again in 2001/2002 when collecting over £725,000 in prize money, in 2002/2003 with over £917,000, in 2003/04 when his earnings topped £924,000 and also in 2004/2005 with over £1.77 million. Johnson, who has over 80 horses in training, is a keen punter, admitting he frequently bets in five figures, and has enjoyed 10 successes, including a brace in 2005 and Our Vic’s success in the Ryanair Chase this year, at the Cheltenham Festival. He lives in Hornchurch, Essex, with wife Shirley and children Stephen and Lisa. John Smith’s Grand National Record (since 1980): 1998 Challenger Du Luc (Fell 1st); 1999 Eudipe (Fell 22nd), Tamarindo (Fell 6th); 2002 Iris Bleu (Fell 5th); 2003 Iris Bleu (PU bef 16th); 2004 Lord Atterbury (3rd), Jurancon II (Fell 4th), Montreal (Fell 6th); 2005 It Takes Time (4th), Lord Atterbury (Fell 1st); 2006 Therealbandit (PU Bef 27th), It Takes Time (PU Bef 29th); 2007 Celtic Son (PU bef 22nd).

David Pipe
Born on February 7, 1973, David Pipe is the son of 15-times champion jump trainer Martin Pipe. He started out riding in point-to-points in 1992, going on to record 22 wins over the next five seasons, plus two under Rules, which included victory aboard Bonanza Boy in the Ludlow Gold Cup. After finishing as a rider, he had spells with Michael Dickinson in the US, Criquette Head-Maarek in France and Joey Ramsden in South Africa, before setting up as a point-to-point trainer, handling the likes of Horus, Lord Atterbury and Celestial Gold, who went on to have successful careers under Rules when transferred to his father’s yard. Based at Purchas Farm, a mile away from his father’s Pond House, he sent out 164 point-to-point winners over six seasons, with Well Armed successful 15 times. He took over the reins at Pond House in Somerset following the retirement of his father on the last day of the 2005/2006 jump season - Saturday, April 29. Pipe Jnr made the best possible start to his training career under rules when getting on the scoresheet with his first runner, Standin Obligation, in a three mile and one furlong novice chase at Kelso on May 9, 2006. Our Vic landed the Grade Two bet 365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October on his seasonal return to provide him with his first big success. In his initial season, David sent out 134 winners, with star filly Gaspara providing a memorable double in the Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown and the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival three days later. The winners have continued this season with several big race wins at Ascot and Cheltenham, including victories for Our Vic in the Ryanair Chase and An Accordion in the William Hill Trophy Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Puntal (8th), Celtic Son (PU bef 22nd).

Timmy Murphy
Born on August 20, 1974, in Co Kildare - where his father Jimmy managed Newberry Stud - Timmy Murphy rode as an amateur in Ireland for Mick Halford, Noel Chance and Michael Hourigan. His first winner came on Gayloire at Kilmuckridge point-to-point in County Wexford. Murphy opted to relocate to England upon turning professional and joined Kim Bailey's Upper Lambourn yard in 1996. He had earlier ridden his first winner under Rules in Britain on Quiet Amusement at Uttoxeter on August 29 in 1995, and holds the distinction of riding the final jump winner at the now Flat only Nottingham aboard Dominie on February 29, 1996. His first Cheltenham Festival success came on the Martin Pipe-trained Terao in the Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase in 1997. Murphy rode for Paul Nicholls, for whom he won the 1998 Pillar Property Chase and Rehearsal Chase on See More Business, but lost the ride to Mick Fitzgerald prior to the horse's Cheltenham Gold Cup and King George VI Chase triumphs and was overtaken in the pecking order at Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat stable in November, 1998, when Joe Tizzard was appointed first jockey. He returned to Nicholls in May, 2001, this time overtaking Tizzard as the stable's main jockey. He had a great ride on the Mark Pitman-trained Smarty when second in the 2001 John Smith's Grand National, however, behind the scenes Murphy was battling with alcoholism and in July, 2002 he was sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting an air stewardess. Released in October, 2002, he returned to the saddle and rode his first winner back on Santenay in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on November 9, of that year. He has since enjoyed an upturn in fortunes. Following the departure of Tony McCoy from Martin Pipe's stable, Murphy became the retained rider for the stable's leading owner David Johnson in the summer of 2004, and their successes have included Celestial Gold in the 2006 totesport Bowl at Aintree. He also rode the Michael Ryan-owned Al Eile to victory in last year’s Scottish & Newcastle Aintree Hurdle, having won the same race on the same horse two years beforehand. Murphy’s critically-acclaimed biography ‘Ride The Storm’ was published in 2006. John Smith’s Grand National record: 1997 Dakyns Boy (8th); 1998 Court Melody (Fell 6th); 1999 Tamarindo (Fell 6th); 2000 Flaked Oats (Fell 20th); 2001 Smarty (2nd); 2002 Davids Lad (UR 20th); 2003 Torduff Express (UR 27th); 2004 Davids Lad (11th); 2005 It Takes Time (4th); 2006 It Takes Time (PU bef 29th); 2007 Celtic Son (PU bef 22nd).

HEDGEHUNTER (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Montelimar (USA) - Aberedw (IRE) (Caerwent)

12-11-12
Form: 2222/242621/223102/431F/0240611/04222/500-P502
Owner: Trevor Hemmings
Trainer: Willie Mullins IRE
Breeder: Tony Keogh

Hedgehunter
Hedgehunter’s career began in February, 2001, with four seconds in bumpers. He started the 2001/2002 campaign over hurdles, adding another ‘2' to his form figures when going down by five lengths in a maiden at Punchestown in November, 2001.It was on his 10th start that he registered a first success when coming home 20 lengths clear on heavy ground in a Clonmel maiden hurdle in February, 2002. He was sent chasing in the 2002/03 season and his form progressed to a new level over the larger obstacles. Two seconds and a third in novice and beginners’ chases were followed by an 11-length win in the Grand National Trial Handicap at Punchestown on February 2, 2003. He then, after being bought by Trevor Hemmings, travelled to the 2003 Cheltenham Festival for the four-mile National Hunt Chase where he was going exceptionally well before a mistake two out almost brought him down. That season was rounded off by finishing second to stablemate Rule Supreme at Punchestown. The 2003/04 season began with a second visit to Britain when finishing fourth to Strong Flow in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury and continued with third place, 23 lengths behind Bindaree, in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27 before an eight-length win in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park on January 22. He then headed for the John Smith’s Grand National and ran a game race from the front, looking assured of at least a place when falling at the last. In the 2004/05 season, his first five races came over hurdles, with his best effort being a second at Thurles in December. He put himself in the picture for another crack at the John Smith’s Grand National when landing the Bobbyjo Chase at Leopardstown on February 19 after the weights came out. He made up for his last fence blunder the previous year when scoring an emphatic victory in the 2005 John Smith’s Grand National under Ruby Walsh, beating Royal Auclair by 14 lengths when the 7/1 favourite. He finished 14th of 23 on his first start of the 2005/06 season in a Fairyhouse handicap hurdle on December 4. He was a respectable fourth to Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown later that month, and returned to that venue to be runner-up to the same rival in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on February 12. He then ran right up to his best when two and a half lengths second to War Of Attrition in the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 17. He subsequently made a gallant attempt under top-weight to become the first horse to win consecutive John Smith’s Grand Nationals since Red Rum when he found only Numbersixvalverde six lengths too good. For the 2006/07 campaign, Hedgehunter made three appearances, finishing fifth to stablemate Mossy Green in a handicap hurdle at Thurles in November and ninth of 16 over hurdles at Limerick at the start of April. He proved he was still a major player as an 11-year-old in last year’s John Smith’s Grand National, finishing ninth under top-weight, despite being hampered twice on the second circuit. This season, Hedgehunter has been kept busy in some of Ireland’s top chases. Having been pulled up in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in December, the 12-year-old followed up disappointing efforts in the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles and the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown with a far better display in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February, finishing a good second to Afistfullofdollars.
Race Record: Starts: 39; Wins: 5; 2nd: 15; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £784,593

Trevor Hemmings
Trevor Hemmings, who was born on June 11, 1935, boasts a classic rags to riches story. Born in London, he was sent to Lancashire as a child during World War II and began life as a bricklayer’s apprentice and rapidly worked his way up the Pontins holiday business to the extent that he was able to sell it on to Scottish & Newcastle in exchange for a significant share holding in S & N (1989). He bought Pontins back in 2000 but retained a stake in S & N, which netted him £218 million when the company was sold in January. He is also a major shareholder in Arena Leisure Plc, which owns Folkestone, Lingfield, Southwell, Wolverhampton and Windsor racecourses and manages Doncaster, Great Leighs and Worcester. Arena is also a major shareholder in broadcaster At The Races that owns some of British racing’s media rights. Hemmings’ many other interests include Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens in the North West resort. His empire also includes hotels, a wallpaper business and in June, 2000, another company in which he has a major share, Rodime Plc, paid £161 million for the Littlewoods pools business, which included the bookmaker Bet Direct (since sold). He was said to be worth £980 million in the 2007 Sunday Times Rich List. He also owns a share of Preston North End FC. In recent years he has stepped up his involvement in racing and fulfilled one of his greatest ambitions when Hegehunter carried his colours to victory in the 2005 John Smith’s Grand National. After years of trying, Hemmings finally emulated his mentor Fred Pontin, owner of the 1971 National hero Specify, with his 13th Grand National runner Hedgehunter. His first winner came on the Flat in 1985 but Hemmings now brings on young jumping stock at Gleadhill House Stud, managed by former trainer Mick Meagher, at his base at Chorley in Lancashire, and at his Monymusk Stud in Co Cork. He first tried to win the John Smith’s Grand National with the Stan Mellor-trained Rubika, who finished 14th in 1992. His 80-plus horses are split between Sue Smith, Nicky Henderson, Henrietta Knight, Nicky Richards, Henry Daly, Willie Mullins, Jonjo O’Neill, Peter Beaumont, Ferdy Murphy, Chris Grant, Donald McCain Jnr, Oliver Sherwood, Paul Nicholls, Alan King, Nigel Twiston-Davies and Malcolm Jefferson while he has predominantly younger stock with Eugene O’Sullivan in Ireland. Hemmings, who was made an honorary Jockey Club member in December, 2006, resides in the Channel Islands and is said to have paid £12 million for the Ballavodan estate on the Isle Of Man. Hemmings had a double at this year’s Cheltenham Festival with Albertas Run in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase and Old Benny in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase. John Smith’s Grand National Record (since 1980): 1992 Rubika (14th); 2000 The Last Fling (7th); Esprit De Cotte (Fell 22nd); 2001 The Last Fling (UR 5th), Esprit De Cotte (UR 11th); 2002 Goguenard (Fell 1st), Beau (UR 14th); 2003 Southern Star (14th), Chives (PU bef 12th); 2004 Arctic Jack (Fell 1st), Southern Star (PU bef 9th), Hedgehunter (Fell 30th); 2005 HEDGEHUNTER (Won), Europa (20th); 2006 Hedgehunter (2nd), Juveigneur (Fell 1st); 2007 Hedgehunter (9th), Billyvoddan (PU bef 19)

Willie Mullins IRE
Born September 15, 1956, Willie Mullins was six-times amateur champion rider in Ireland and his major successes in the saddle included the 1983 John Smith’s Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree on Atha Cliath, before taking out a training licence in 1988. He hails from one of Ireland's most famous racing families, being a son of Paddy Mullins, the now retired outstanding all-round trainer, whose most famous star was Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup two years later. Willie Mullins rode and trained Wither Or Which to win the 1996 Weatherbys Champion Bumper, the Cheltenham Festival race in which he has saddled six winners (also Florida Pearl 1997, Alexander Banquet 1998, Joe Cullen 2000, Missed That 2005 and Cousin Vinny 2008). Mullins saddled Rule Supreme to win the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival and sent out the same horse to win the Irish Hennessy in 2005. His best horse to date has been Florida Pearl, who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the 1998 Royal & SunAlliance Chase, the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004 Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cups in Ireland as well as the 2001 King George VI Chase and the 2002 totesport Bowl at Aintree. Mullins, who began training in 1988, has around 100 horses at his Closutton yard near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow and his first John Smith’s Grand National runner as a trainer, Micko's Dream, fell at the first in 2000, while, as a jockey, his rides included The Ladys Master, who ran out in 1983, and Hazy Dawn, who fell at the sixth the following year. The loquacious Mullins, a former chairman of the Irish Trainers' Federation, also suffered heartache in 2004 when Hedgehunter departed at the final fence in the John Smith’s Grand National when looking assured of a place. Mullins overcame bad luck in the John Smith’s Grand National the following year when Hedgehunter came home 14 lengths clear of Royal Auclair. Hedgehunter was then second the following year and ninth in 2007. Mullins has trained 12 Cheltenham Festival winners, most recently scoring a quick double this year with Cousin Vinny in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (ridden by his 18-year-old son Patrick) and Fiveforthree in the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2000 Micko's Dream (Fell 1st); 2002 Alexander Banquet (UR 6th), 2004 Alexander Banquet (Fell 18th); Hedgehunter (Fell 30th); 2005 HEDGEHUNTER (WON), 2006 Hedgehunter (2nd), 2007 Hedgehunter (9th), Homer Wells (PU bef 22nd), Bothar Na (PU bef 29th), Livingstonebramble (UR 6th)

KELAMI (FR) FACTFILE

b g Lute Antique (FR) - Voltige De Nievre (FR) (Brezzo (FR))

10-10-09
Form: 22P/4382315/36514B0/0003F4313/06/10302P2P-4300F2
Owner: Halewood International Ltd
Trainer: Francois Doumen FR
Breeder: Bernard and Marc Trinquet

Kelami
A French-bred gelding and full-brother to fellow John Smith’s Grand National contender L’Ami, Kelami originally raced for trainer Francois Doumen’s Haras d’Ecouves, before he was transferred to the ownership of the late Queen Mother for his British debut when second in a juvenile hurdle at Newbury on December 19, 2001. Following the Queen Mother’s death in March, 2002, he returned to the Doumens’ ownership until being bought by John Halewood at the start of 2004. Kelami has appeared at the Cheltenham Festival three times. He was pulled up in the 2002 JCB Triumph Hurdle, fourth in the 2004 William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase, and successful in the same race in 2005. He has only won four times during a 47-race career, although he has run some good races in defeat, most notably when third in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock and the Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown in 2005. For the 2006/07 season, he began with a victory over hurdles at Compiegne, France, in October. He did not appear to be at his best for his next three outings, before returning to form when second to Rambling Minster in the Agfa Diamond Handicap Chase at Sandown in February. However, he failed to repeat that level of form when pulling up on his next start in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock Park but bounced back again with a good second in a Grade Two Chase at Auteuil in March. Kelami had his second attempt over the John Smith’s Grand National fences in last year’s contest, having been brought down at the first in 2004, and made it over 28 of the 30 fences before being pulled up. This season, Kelami has once again contested some of this country’s top handicap chases, including valuable events at both Cheltenham and Sandown, without much success. His final start prior to Aintree did however produce an encouraging return to form with a staying on second behind Gungadu in the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton on February 23.
Race Record: Starts: 47; 1st: 4; 2nd: 8; 3rd: 10; Win & Place Prize Money: £280,523

Halewood International Ltd
Halewood International, based at Huyton in Merseyside, was set up in 1978 by John Halewood and is one of the major UK independent producers and importers of wine, spirits and speciality drinks, employing about 1,500 people worldwide with an annual turnover of £250 million. John Halewood was born on the Wirral and always dreamt of success in the John Smith’s Grand National. This came about when Amberleigh House, trained by Ginger McCain, won in 2004. Halewood’s local connection was responsible for him being introduced to Ginger McCain in the Red Rum days when the trainer was based in Southport and he bought his first horse in 1983. Before Amberleigh House, his one previous Grand National runner was the McCain-trained Dudie, who came to grief at the sixth fence in 1986. Halewood’s wife Judy Eaton used to train and ran Harley, who finished 12th in the 1991 National. Halewood, a lifelong Liverpool football fan who once had a trial at Anfield, has about 20 horses, some with Judy’s sister Lisa Williamson, who is based at Saighton near Chester, including the former Paul Nicholls-trained Cornish Rebel and also has Kelami in France with Francois Doumen. Other trainers for Halewood include Mick Easterby and Donald McCain Jnr. His company sponsors the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, a major Grand National trial, at Haydock Park, and John had an estimated personal wealth of £80 million according to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2007. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1986 Dudie (Fell 6th - owned by John Halewood); 2001 Amberleigh House (Fell 8th); 2003 Amberleigh House (3rd); 2004 AMBERLEIGH HOUSE (WON), Kelami (BD 1st); 2005 Amberleigh House (10th), 2006 Amberleigh House (PU Bef 21st), Inca Trail (8th), 2007 Kelami (PU Bef 29th)

Francois Doumen
Born by the side of the road in wartime France on June 11, 1940, Francois Doumen first came to the attention of the British racing public when Nupsala, a 25/1 outsider, grabbed a shock victory over Desert Orchid in the 1987 King George VI Chase at Kempton. Doumen has built on that success to land other notable prizes in this country. It is the exploits of The Fellow, winner of two King George VI Chases (1991 & 1992) and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup (1994), which stand out. The Fellow fell at the Canal Turn on the second circuit in 1994 on his only attempt at the John Smith’s Grand National. Doumen’s spectacularly successful raids over here have helped boost the popularity of French half-bred horses with British trainers. Doumen, whose father Jean trained successfully, spent seven years running a fashion business in South Africa before taking out a licence to train in 1977, having ridden more than 100 winners as an amateur between 1956-70. Other good horses he has handled include King George winner Algan, Ucello II, Ubu III, Djeddah, Bog Frog, Val d’Elene, Moulin Riche, L’Ami, Innox, Kelami, Snow Drop, winner of the 2000 JCB Triumph Hurdle, and the great Baracouda, winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle in 2002 and 2003, as well as the 2000 King George VI Chase winner First Gold, who also won the totesport Bowl at Aintree in 2001 and 2003. Doumen also trained for the late Queen Mother. His horses were stabled at Lamorlaye near Chantilly, but three quarters of them are now at La Beauvoisiniere in Normandy and the rest have left Lamorlaye for a new yard at Chantilly. Much of his string is now Flat-orientated and has included the globe-trotting star Jim And Tonic, bred by his wife Elizabeth, whose successes include the 1999 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. His son Thierry was a jockey and is now also a trainer. Doumen Snr’s Aintree successes also include Bilboa in the 2001 John Smith’s Anniversary 4YO Novices’ Hurdle, and he is bidding to become the first French-based trainer to win the John Smith’s Grand National since Harry Lamplugh sent out Cortolvin from Chantilly to triumph in 1867. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1994 The Fellow (Fell 24th); 1998 Ciel De Brion (Fell 26th); 2000 Djeddah (9th); 2001 Djeddah (UR 8th); 2002 Djeddah (UR 27th); 2003 Djeddah (11th); 2004 Kelami (Brought down 1st); 2005 Innox (7th); 2006 Innox (Fell 1st), First Gold (Unseated 23rd), 2007 L’Ami (10th), Kelami (PU Bef 29th)

KING JOHNS CASTLE (IRE) FACTFILE

gr g Flemensfirth (USA) - Caislain Darai (IRE) (Fujiwara)
9-10-11
Form: 014/3F1P523/1PU22P-2221
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Arthur Moore IRE
Breeder: John O’Neill

King Johns Castle
A winner of his sixth start in Irish point-to-points, King Johns Castle was raced by his breeder John O’Neill in the early part of his career. He won his bumper on his second attempt at Gowran Park on December 16, 2004, and turned out 11 days later for a crack at the Christmas Bumper at Leopardstown, where he ran a fine fourth to Travino. Third on his first start over hurdles 10 months later, he fell next time out at the final flight when holding every chance. Bought by J P McManus and moved to Arthur Moore’s yard, King Johns Castle opened his hurdling account at Naas on January 8, 2006, in a two-mile, three furlong maiden hurdle. Stepped up to three miles, he was pulled up the following week before having his first start over fences a month later. On that occasion, he finished last of five, but improved to chase home stablemate Mansony in the Kilcock Novices’ Chase at Naas on March 13. Reverting back to hurdles for his next outing in April, he was third in a valuable two mile and six furlong handicap hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival. He started the following season with a clear-cut victory in a two mile and one furlong beginners’ chase at Navan on November 12, 2006. Thrown into Grade One company for a two and a half mile novice chase, King Johns Castle was pulled up, while he was running well in a Grade Two novices’ chase at Leopardstown in January, 2007, when making a blunder and unseating his rider three out in a race won by this year’s Irish National winner Hear The Echo. Back at Leopardstown two weeks later, he was a two-length runner-up in the Grade One Irish Arkle and was again second the following month in the Grade Two Flyingbolt Novices’ Chase at Navan. He ended the 2006/07 campaign when pulled up in the Grade One Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. A run of three seconds over fences, including in the valuable Pierse Handicap Chase at Leopardstown in January, came to an end on his most recent start, when he proved four lengths too good for the field in a Naas handicap hurdle over two miles and three furlongs on March 9.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 20; Wins: 4; 2nd 6; 3rd 2; Win and Place Prize Money: £71,612

J P McManus
Few people have enjoyed a closer association with jump racing in the last 30 years than John Patrick ’J P’ McManus, who was born in Co Limerick on March 10, 1951. He left his father’s plant hire business at the age of 20 to become a racecourse bookmaker, but then took the less well-trodden route of gamekeeper-turned-poacher when becoming a professional punter. McManus recalls one of his first bets as being on Merryman II in the 1960 Grand National when he was just nine, but the bet that changed his life was £4 on Linden Tree in a Newmarket maiden in 1970, the horse winning at 100/8. He had another £4 on when Linden Tree won the Observer Gold Cup at 25/1, and £5 each-way at 33/1 for the Derby, when the horse beat all bar Mill Reef. Although still one of the highest-staking punters on the racecourse, “The Sundance Kid” (as he was dubbed by journalist Hugh McIlvanney after a number of major gambles in the ring during the 1970s) is also the biggest National Hunt owner in terms of numbers in Britain, Ireland and France with over 250 horses and has a string of other business interests including dealing in financial markets from his Geneva base and part-ownership of the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, where he also has a house. With John Magnier, he bought a 28.7% stake in Manchester United through the Cubic Expression company before subsequently selling out to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer. The pair have also invested in the Barchester chain of nursing homes, which was revalued at £1 billion in 2006, Castlebeck care homes, a property company that owns Unilever House in London and leisure clubs, including the Chelsea Harbour Club. Since Mister Donovan landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 1982, he has enjoyed 29 Festival successes, headed by three-time Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq and Baracouda, who landed the 2002 & 2003 renewals of what is now the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and finished second in 2004 and 2005. Istabraq and Baracouda are now retired at McManus’s Martinstown Stud in Co Limerick. He does a lot of work for charity and his Pro-Am golf tournament, where Tiger Woods regularly plays, has raised millions of euros. McManus is also a keen backgammon player and a big hurling fan. He owns Jackdaws Castle, the Gloucestershire yard that Jonjo O’Neill trains from, and has invested heavily in improving facilities. He was British champion owner for the last two seasons (2005/06 & 2006/07) and looks like being so again this season. He has become increasingly serious about trying to win the John Smith’s Grand National, having five runners in 2004, six in 2005, four in 2006 and two in 2007. Clan Royal went close when second in 2004, was carried out when in the lead at Becher’s second time around in 2005 and was third two years ago. The Sunday Times Rich List estimated McManus’ wealth at £561 million in 2007.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1982 Deep Gale (Fell 1st), 1988 Bucko (PU bef 27th), 1992 Laura's Beau (3rd), 1994 Laura’s Beau (Fell 6th), 1996 Wylde Hide (UR 24th), 1997 Wylde Hide (UR 22nd); 1998 Gimme Five (5th), 2002 Spot Thedifference (UR 27th); 2003 Youlneverwalkalone (PU bef 13th); 2004 Clan Royal (2nd), Spot Thedifference (5th), Risk Accessor (UR 6th), Le Coudray (Fell 22nd); 2005 Innox (7th), Spot Thedifference (18th), Shamawan (21st), Clan Royal (CO 22nd), Le Coudray (PU before 21st), Risk Accessor (UR 2nd); 2006 Clan Royal (3rd), Risk Accessor (5th), Innox (Fell 1st), First Gold (UR 23rd); 2007 L’Ami (10th), Clan Royal (11th)

Arthur Moore
As a jockey, Arthur Moore was joint champion Irish amateur in 1969 before turning professional. He won the 1971 Irish Grand National on King's Sprite and rode more than 60 winners. Born on September 15, 1949, Moore spent six years assisting his father Dan, who trained L'Escargot, twice winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup as well as the 1975 Grand National and Tied Cottage, before taking out a training licence himself. Joan Moore, Arthur's mother, also trained before and after Dan's death and made history as the first woman to become a steward of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, and the first woman to manage Punchestown Racecourse. Arthur Moore trained his first winner in 1975, while his initial British success came when Royal Bond won at Ascot on October 29, 1980. Moore's stables are at Dereens, near Naas in County Kildare, from where he has sent out a string of big-race winners including Klairon Davis (1994 Dennys Gold Medal Chase, 1995 Arkle Chase, 1996 Queen Mother Champion Chase), Drumgora (1981 Queen Mother Champion Chase), The Brockshee (1982 Arkle Chase) and Feathered Gale (1996 Irish Grand National). Moore's eldest son, J D, is a successful amateur and trainer of Irish point-to-pointers, while his other son, Andrew, rode Mon Oiseau for Arthur in a charity race at Punchestown in April, 2006. Arthur’s daughter Anna, a bloodstock agent with BBA Ireland, is married to fellow bloodstock agent Kevin Ross. Grand National Record: 1982 Mullacurry (Fell 1st), 1984 Clonthturtin (Fell 6th), 1985 Clonthturtin (PU bef 24th), 1990 Thinking Cap (Fell 3rd), 1994 New Mill House (Fell 6th), 1996 Wylde Hide (UR 24th), 1997 Back Bar (Fell 7th), Wylde Hide (UR 22nd), Feathered Gale (PU bef 27th), 2002 Lyreen Wonder (UR 20th), 2005 Glenelly Gale (PU bef 28th), Marcus Du Berlais (UR 22nd), 2006 Native Upmanship (Ref 27th)

KNOWHERE (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Lord Americo - Andarta (Ballymore)

10-11-11
Form: 11/P/11F22300U-135P16
Owner: Raymond Mould
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
Breeder: John Jobson

Knowhere
The decisive winner of his only point-to-point start at Farmaclaffley, Co Armagh, in February, 2004, Knowhere was subsequently bought by Raymond Mould and transferred to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Naunton stable. He landed his first two starts for his new connections that October, sauntering home in a novice hurdle at Hexham and following up in the Grade Two Persian War Novices’ Hurdle at Chepstow, edging out Ladalko by a neck, before injury kept him off the track for 15 months. He reappeared in January, 2006, making his chasing debut in the Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, but never looked entirely happy during the race, pulling up before two out, and was not seen out again that season. Knowhere was sent to Perth for his comeback race in the 2006/07 season, over an extended two and a half miles in September, where he treated his rivals with contempt to score by an easy 23 lengths, and the gelding landed another comprehensive victory at Bangor the following month over the same trip, coming home 15 lengths in front of Steppes Of Gold. Pitched into handicap company in the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 11, Knowhere was travelling well in the lead when falling at the eighth fence, and, after a runner-up finish to Cerium in Grade Two company at Ascot on November 18, returned to Prestbury Park the following month for the Grade Three Boylesports.com Gold Cup, producing a career best effort to run the highly progressive Exotic Dancer to a length and a half. Dropped back into novice company in the Grade One Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, Knowhere could only finish third to Ungaro, and did not shown his true ability on his two following outings at Cheltenham, running eighth in the Grade Three Ladbrokes Trophy on January 27, 2007 and 12th behind Denman in the Grade One Royal & SunAlliance Chase. Lining up as a novice in the 2007 John Smith’s Grand National, Knowhere fluffed his lines at the Canal Turn on the first circuit, unseating Tom Doyle. This season Knowhere has again proved himself to be one of the top chasers around, winning a handicap chase at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance in October before returning to the Cotswold track to finish a close third behind L’Antartique in the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Cup the following month. A rare foray away from Cheltenham saw Knowhere line up in the Grade Three Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury two weeks later, where the gelding put in another spirited display of jumping to finish fifth behind Denman. Knowhere made a swift reappearance in the Grade Three Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham under first time blinkers, but the hard Newbury race took its toll and he was pulled up after a mistake three fences out. Knowhere began 2008 with a deserved Grade Two success over fences, coming with a strong challenge to beat Our Vic in the Letherby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham on January 26. Having been successful in the recognised trial for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, Knowhere fully deserved to take his chance at The Festival, but the gelding made several mistakes under the strong pace and eventually faded to finish sixth behind his Newbury conqueror Denman.

Race Record: Starts: 18; Wins: 6; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 2; Win and Place prize money: £201,972

Raymond Mould
Following the death from cancer of his wife Jenny at the age of 54 in November, 2000, Raymond Mould inherited a high-class string of horses that included Bindaree. Mould, born on December 8, 1940, and a qualified solicitor, made his fortune in the property world. He is currently non-executive Chairman of London & Stamford Investments Ltd and was Executive Chairman of Pillar Property Plc until May, 2005, when it was acquired by British Land Plc. He is also Chairman of Fleming Family & Partners Russia Real Estate Limited and joined the board of Arena Leisure in October, 2005, and is now chairman of the publicly listed company which operates seven British racecourses and owns 47.5% of specialist broadcaster At The Races. In 2007 Mould significantly increased his stake in Arena with the purchase of a million shares in the company. Among the best horses to race for his wife were the 1993 King George VI Chase winner Barton Bank and Charter Party, owned jointly with Claire Smith and winner of the 1988 Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Mould trainers included the late David Nicholson, Richard Phillips and Twiston-Davies. The Moulds ran the 90-acre Grange Stud (UK) at their Guiting Power home in the same village as Twiston-Davies’ yard but following Jenny’s death Raymond Mould moved to a village near Burford in Oxfordshire with second wife Caroline, owner of smart novice hurdler Khyber Kim, and sold his breeding stock at Doncaster in November, 2002. Six years ago Mould shot to national fame when Bindaree gave him a Grand National success with only his second representative in the contest and there was a big party afterwards at the Hollow Bottom pub in Guiting Power.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1997 Grange Brake (Ref 27th); 2002 BINDAREE (WON); 2003 Bindaree (6th); 2004 Bindaree (UR 6th); 2005 Bindaree (11th); 2007 Knowhere (UR 8th)

Nigel Twiston-Davies
The Gloucestershire handler combined training as a permit-holder with his farming interests throughout the 1980s, having his first winner with Frozen Prince at Hereford in March, 1982, before the agricultural recession prompted him to make training his full-time profession. He took out a full training licence in 1989, recording his first win as a public trainer in December of that year with Babil at Newbury. Born on May 16, 1957, as an amateur jockey Twiston-Davies rode 17 winners under Rules and gained a further 17 point-to-point victories, and served as assistant trainer to Richard Head and Fred Rimell. A childhood neighbour and friend of Peter Scudamore, he went into partnership with the former champion jump jockey to set up stables at Grange Hill Farm, Naunton, Gloucestershire, although Scudamore is no longer involved in the venture, having teamed up with Denis Caro in 2002 and then his father Michael. Twiston-Davies has adopted and developed the pioneering techniques of Martin Pipe, such as interval training and regular blood tests for his string, enabling him to rapidly raise his profile among the training ranks. An essentially shy man, he momentarily shocked Des Lynam after Earth Summit’s Grand National success in 1998 by telling the BBC presenter in front of millions of viewers “I don’t do interviews”. Twiston-Davies, who has gained eight successes at the Cheltenham Festival including Ballyfitz in this year’s Pertemps Final, has many other Aintree victories to his name including the 2000 John Smith’s Aintree Hurdle with Mister Morose. He won the Betfred Gold Cup with Beau, and the following season’s Hennessy Gold Cup with King’s Road. The 2001/2002 campaign had been relatively quiet by Twiston-Davies’ high standards before Bindaree provided him with his second John Smith’s Grand National success. Afterwards he revealed that he had been intending to give up training, but despite “having a bigger debt than Argentina” after buying out Scudamore, the Aintree victory made him have a change of heart. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1994 Young Hustler (BD 11th); 1995 Camelot Knight (Fell 21st), Dakyns Boy (UR 10th), Young Hustler (UR 3rd); 1996 Young Hustler (5th), Captain Dibble (11th); 1997 Camelot Knight (3rd), Dakyns Boy (8th), Grange Brake (Refused 27th); 1998 EARTH SUMMIT (WON); 1999 Earth Summit (8th), Camelot Knight (BD 22nd); 2000 Camelot Knight (15th); 2001 Beau (UR 20th), Spanish Main (Fell 1st); 2002 BINDAREE (WON), Frantic Tan (UR 5th), Beau (UR 14th); 2003 Bindaree (6th); 2004 Shardam (UR 3rd), Bindaree (UR 6th); 2005 Bindaree (11th), 2006 Baron Windrush (UR 3rd); 2007 Knowhere (UR 8th); Naunton Brook (PU bef 23rd)

L’AMI (FR) FACTFILE

ch g Lute Antique (FR) - Voltige De Nievre (FR) (Brezzo (FR))

9-11-01
Form: 225542/F05F0121F143/3324243/534200-63003
Owner: J P McManus
Trainer: Francois Doumen FR
Breeder: Marc Trinquet & Bernard Trinquet

L’Ami
L’Ami, a brother to fellow John Smith’s Grand National contender Kelami, raced four times on the Flat in France with his best effort coming when third on his debut in October, 2003. Subsequently sold by Doumen’s Haras d’Ecouves to Jim McCarthy, L’Ami made his chase debut over an extended two miles and a furlong at Auteuil in September, 2003. He finished second that day and filled the same spot in a similar event one month later. Doumen’s charge raced six times that season, finishing second again on his final start in March but failing to notch a victory. L’Ami had a busy second season over fences as he raced 12 times. He showed little in five further starts at Auteuil before capturing an elusive first win in an extended two miles, five furlongs handicap at the Parisian venue on November 7, 2004. A second-place finish in a Listed contest later that month booked his ticket to Lingfield for the three-mile Grade Two December Novices’ Chase on December 11, in which he defeated Distant Thunder. After another win at Warwick, he proved himself a classy staying novice with a fourth-place finish in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase behind Trabolgan and was then third to Like-A-Butterfly in the John Smith’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree in April. He returned to Auteuil at the start of the 2005/2006 season, finishing third in two prestigious events, before returning to England for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury in November, when second to Trabolgan. A fourth to Kicking King in the King George VI Chase at Sandown in December was followed by a runner-up finish behind stablemate Innox in the Racing Post Chase at the Esher track in February. He ran another fine race when fourth in the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup won by War Of Attrition. J P McManus purchased the gelding privately ahead of Aintree in 2006, when he finished third behind Celestial Gold in the Grade Two totesport Bowl. The 2006/07 season commenced with a fifth placing over hurdles at Auteuil ahead of taking third spot behind the great Kauto Star in the Grade One Betfair Chase. He went to Leopardstown in December for the Grade One Lexus Chase but was no match for The Listener on heavy going and came home fourth. L’Ami then took on Kauto Star again in the Grade Two AON Chase at Newbury in February and, in receipt of 10lb, he got to within a neck of causing an upset. However, he was no match for Kauto Star in the 2007 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16, as he crossed the line in seventh. On his first start in the John Smith’s Grand National last season, L’Ami ran well for much of the contest before fading to finish a tired 10th. This season, L’Ami again started his campaign over hurdles at Auteuil before running a sound race when finishing third in a Grade Three chase at Cheltenham in November, then returned to the Cotswold track to finish 10th in a Listed handicap chase the following month. After a below par effort in a similar contest at Doncaster in January 2008, L’Ami returned to form with the application of cheekpieces, finishing a close third behind An Accordion in the Grade Three William Hill Trophy Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 11.

Race Record: Starts: 36; 1st: 3; 2nd: 7; 3rd: 7; Win & Place prize money: £326,055

J P McManus
Few people have enjoyed a closer association with jump racing in the last 30 years than John Patrick ’J P’ McManus, who was born in Co Limerick on March 10, 1951. He left his father’s plant hire business at the age of 20 to become a racecourse bookmaker, but then took the less well-trodden route of gamekeeper-turned-poacher when becoming a professional punter. McManus recalls one of his first bets as being on Merryman II in the 1960 Grand National when he was just nine, but the bet that changed his life was £4 on Linden Tree in a Newmarket maiden in 1970, the horse winning at 100/8. He had another £4 on when Linden Tree won the Observer Gold Cup at 25/1, and £5 each-way at 33/1 for the Derby, when the horse beat all bar Mill Reef. Although still one of the highest-staking punters on the racecourse, “The Sundance Kid” (as he was dubbed by journalist Hugh McIlvanney after a number of major gambles in the ring during the 1970s) is also the biggest National Hunt owner in terms of numbers in Britain, Ireland and France with over 250 horses and has a string of other business interests including dealing in financial markets from his Geneva base and part-ownership of the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, where he also has a house. With John Magnier, he bought a 28.7% stake in Manchester United through the Cubic Expression company before subsequently selling out to US tycoon Malcolm Glazer. The pair have also invested in the Barchester chain of nursing homes, which was revalued at £1 billion in 2006, Castlebeck care homes, a property company that owns Unilever House in London and leisure clubs, including the Chelsea Harbour Club. Since Mister Donovan landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 1982, he has enjoyed 29 Festival successes, headed by three-time Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq and Baracouda, who landed the 2002 & 2003 renewals of what is now the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and finished second in 2004 and 2005. Istabraq and Baracouda are now retired at McManus’s Martinstown Stud in Co Limerick. He does a lot of work for charity and his Pro-Am golf tournament, where Tiger Woods regularly plays, has raised millions of euros. McManus is also a keen backgammon player and a big hurling fan. He owns Jackdaws Castle, the Gloucestershire yard that Jonjo O’Neill trains from, and has invested heavily in improving facilities. He was British champion owner for the last two seasons (2005/06 & 2006/07) and looks like being so again this season. He has become increasingly serious about trying to win the John Smith’s Grand National, having five runners in 2004, six in 2005, four in 2006 and two in 2007. Clan Royal went close when second in 2004, was carried out when in the lead at Becher’s second time around in 2005 and was third two years ago. The Sunday Times Rich List estimated McManus’ wealth at £561 million in 2007.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1982 Deep Gale (Fell 1st), 1988 Bucko (PU bef 27th), 1992 Laura's Beau (3rd), 1994 Laura’s Beau (Fell 6th), 1996 Wylde Hide (UR 24th), 1997 Wylde Hide (UR 22nd); 1998 Gimme Five (5th), 2002 Spot Thedifference (UR 27th); 2003 Youlneverwalkalone (PU bef 13th); 2004 Clan Royal (2nd), Spot Thedifference (5th), Risk Accessor (UR 6th), Le Coudray (Fell 22nd); 2005 Innox (7th), Spot Thedifference (18th), Shamawan (21st), Clan Royal (CO 22nd), Le Coudray (PU before 21st), Risk Accessor (UR 2nd); 2006 Clan Royal (3rd), Risk Accessor (5th), Innox (Fell 1st), First Gold (UR 23rd); 2007 L’Ami (10th), Clan Royal (11th)

Francois Doumen
Born by the side of the road in wartime France on June 11, 1940, Francois Doumen first came to the attention of the British racing public when Nupsala, a 25/1 outsider, grabbed a shock victory over Desert Orchid in the 1987 King George VI Chase at Kempton. Doumen has built on that success to land other notable prizes in this country. It is the exploits of The Fellow, winner of two King George VI Chases (1991 & 1992) and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup (1994), which stand out. The Fellow fell at the Canal Turn on the second circuit in 1994 on his only attempt at the John Smith’s Grand National. Doumen’s spectacularly successful raids over here have helped boost the popularity of French half-bred horses with British trainers. Doumen, whose father Jean trained successfully, spent seven years running a fashion business in South Africa before taking out a licence to train in 1977, having ridden more than 100 winners as an amateur between 1956-70. Other good horses he has handled include King George winner Algan, Ucello II, Ubu III, Djeddah, Bog Frog, Val d’Elene, Moulin Riche, L’Ami, Innox, Kelami, Snow Drop, winner of the 2000 JCB Triumph Hurdle, and the great Baracouda, winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle in 2002 and 2003, as well as the 2000 King George VI Chase winner First Gold, who also won the totesport Bowl at Aintree in 2001 and 2003. Doumen also trained for the late Queen Mother. His horses were stabled at Lamorlaye near Chantilly, but three quarters of them are now at La Beauvoisiniere in Normandy and the rest have left Lamorlaye for a new yard at Chantilly. Much of his string is now Flat-orientated and has included the globe-trotting star Jim And Tonic, bred by his wife Elizabeth, whose successes include the 1999 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin. His son Thierry was a jockey and is now also a trainer. Doumen Snr’s Aintree successes also include Bilboa in the 2001 John Smith’s Anniversary 4YO Novices’ Hurdle, and he is bidding to become the first French-based trainer to win the John Smith’s Grand National since Harry Lamplugh sent out Cortolvin from Chantilly to triumph in 1867. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1994 The Fellow (Fell 24th); 1998 Ciel De Brion (Fell 26th); 2000 Djeddah (9th); 2001 Djeddah (UR 8th); 2002 Djeddah (UR 4 out); 2003 Djeddah (11th); 2004 Kelami (Brought down 1st); 2005 Innox (7th); 2006 Innox (Fell 1st), First Gold (Unseated 23rd), 2007 L’Ami (10th), Kelami (PU Bef 29th)

MCKELVEY (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Anshan - Chatty Actress (Le Bavard (FR))

9-11-00
Form: 53112/1221UP3U2/417612-80
Owner: Noel Elliott
Trainer: Peter Bowen
Breeder: John Quane
Jockey: Tom O'Brien

McKelvey
McKelvey came within three quarters of a length of John Smith’s Grand National glory last year when putting in a great performance to just lose out to Silver Birch. His most notable success came in the 2006 Summer National at Uttoxeter, when the ground was on the fast side of good. It was the horse's first attempt at four miles as well and also assured connections that there should be no stamina doubts for Aintree. Starting his racing career in Ireland, trained by Shane Donohoe, his debut victory nevertheless came at Newcastle in February, 2005. The going was bottomless that day and blinkers were applied. After the race, owner Noel Elliott moved the horse from Donohoe to Peter Bowen and the blinkers came off, but the graph continued on an upward curve. Another novice win at Ludlow and a narrow second at Cheltenham preceded an early switch to chasing. With Tony McCoy up, the horse started a warm favourite for his debut and obliged at Sedgefield in May, 2005. His 2004/05 season ended with a narrow defeat, and the following season started with another second. At Wetherby, in December, 2005, came a comprehensive success in the totesport.com Handicap Chase but three weeks later, at the same course, it was a different story, the horse unseating Tom Doyle four out when in the lead. If the wheels didn't exactly come off over the next few outings, they were untypically wobbly. Not until April, 2006, with a second place at Ayr, did McKelvey get back on track. After running sixth in the totesport.com Becher Chase at Aintree over the National fences in November, 2006, the horse was laid out for the 2007 John Smith’s Grand National and a pipe-opener in March at Bangor, which he won, was his only race before his fine second. This season he reappeared at Doncaster on March 1, when eighth in a handicap hurdle, and he was well-beaten again over the smaller obstacles at Newcastle a fortnight later.
Race Record: Starts: 22; 1st: 6; 2nd: 5; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £247,762

Noel Elliott
Noel Elliott is chairman of P Elliott & Company, one of the most successful building contractors in Ireland, founded in 1942 by Noel's father Patrick. Noel, now 64, has handed over the day-to-day running of the company to his children - Noel junior, Mark, Darragh and Erica are all involved. His interest in racing started in 1998 when he bought Flat racer Dual Star from the Moyglare Stud to go hurdling. Initially running in the colours of his wife Katherine and trained by Shane Donohoe, Dual Star won twice in Ireland, before moving to Philip Hobbs’ stable in Minehead. Two chase victories followed swiftly before the horse was sold on. Ransboro, who won five races, and Rosses Point, now with Evan Williams, were both Elliott horses and recently his racing interests have extended to breeding - the mare Erica's Charm, named after his daughter, was covered by Oscar last year. McKelvey was bought by Elliott four years ago. Donohoe trained the horse initially, but after just three races, he was moved to Peter Bowen's Haverfordwest yard. "I could never get the good ground the horse needs in Ireland and I could never get the distance either," said Elliott. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 McKelvey (2nd)

Peter Bowen
Born on June 9, 1958, Peter Bowen is married to Karen and has three sons, Michael, Sean and James. The son of a haulier and a village postmistress, Bowen trains at Letterston near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales and took out his first trainer’s licence in 1995, having previously been a livery yard proprietor and hugely successful point-to-point handler. He won the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton the following November with Dreams End and the same horse took the Kingwell Hurdle at the Somerset course in February, 1997. A big race hat-trick was completed by Dreams End in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock later in the same year. Another horse that he did well with early in his training career was Iffee, whom he saddled to win the Durham National at Sedgefield in 1996. The 1996/1997 campaign saw Bowen set a modern-day record with Stately Home, winner of 10 races that season. More recently, he captured the Badger Ales Handicap Chase at Wincanton in both 2002 and 2003 with Swansea Bay and the same horse won the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase at Haydock, also in 2003. His stable stars have included Take The Stand and Ballycassidy. The former was second to Kicking King in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2005 and finished fifth in the 2006 renewal, the highest placing by a British-trained horse. Ballycassidy, a winner of 15 races who is now retired, ran in the John Smith’s Grand National three times and showed up well on the second and third occasions before being found out. Bowen had his highest-ever number of winners in the 2006/2007 season, with 72 successes, including Dunbrody Millar in the John Smith’s Topham Chase. His previous best tally was 41 in 2005/06. Bowen won the John Smith’s Handicap Hurdle at the Aintree Festival in 1999 with Kinnescash and the 2001 John Smith’s Topham Chase with Gower-Slave. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2005 Take The Stand (UR 15th), Ballycassidy (UR 2nd); 2006 Ballycassidy (Fell 25th); 2007 McKelvey (2nd), Ballycassidy (UR24th)

Tom O’Brien
Tom O’Brien, who was born on November 28, 1986, set a record for the conditional riders’ championship last season with 107 successes. His father Jim is a brother of the brilliant trainer Aidan O’Brien and plays a key role at his Ballydoyle stable in Co Tipperary. From the age of 13, Tom rode out at weekends and in school holidays at Ballydoyle, aboard champions such as High Chaparral, Rock Of Gibraltar and Mozart. He joined Philip Hobbs’s stable as a 17-year-old, initially riding as an amateur and in point-to-points and had first winner aboard The Names Bond at Warwick on December 18, 2004. Hobbs feels that O’Brien “could certainly be champion some day” and the rider has also established a useful association with trainer Peter Bowen, for whom he finished second aboard McKelvey when having his first John Smith’s Grand National ride 12 months ago. His major successes this season include the Bowen-trained Souffleur in the Challow Hurdle at Newbury. Aidan O’Brien still takes a keen interest in his nephew’s progress - “when he sits down to watch me ride, he often gets on the phone to give me a rollicking,” said Tom.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 McKelvey (2nd)

MR POINTMENT (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Old Vic - Bettyhill (Ardross)

9-11-11
Form: 14/1415/122-416
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Owner: Stockton Heath Racing
Breeder: Anthea Gibson Fleming & Mrs E Cooper

Mr Pointment
Mr Pointment began his racing career under the care of Charles Egerton, who trained the gelding to immediate success with a galloping victory in a bumper at Bangor in December, 2004. Following a good fourth in a competitive Grade Two bumper at Newbury in February, 2005, the son of Old Vic made the transition to hurdles look easy with a comfortable win in a novice event that November, but he couldn’t live with the strong pace on his next start in a similar event at Newbury, and made a bad mistake two from home to finish a tired fourth behind Wee Robbie. He put this disappointment firmly behind him with a convincing six-length victory in a novice hurdle at Fakenham in February, 2006, a display which earned him a crack at the Grade One Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Appreciating the step up in trip, Mr Pointment led the race with four flights left, but a mistake at the third last cost him valuable momentum, and he went on to finish fifth behind Nicanor. A switch to fences the following season brought about more improvement in Mr Pointment, and the gelding produced a faultless display of jumping to run out a game winner of a beginners’ chase at Bangor in November, 2006. Another good display followed with a close second behind the smart Don’t Push It at Cheltenham in December, before a lacklustre effort behind future stablemate Denman over three miles on soft ground at Newbury in February, 2007. Put away for the season, Mr Pointment moved to the powerful Paul Nicholls yard that summer, and his first start for the Ditcheat-based handler, a close fourth in handicap company at Cheltenham in October, 2007, proved that the gelding could stay further than three miles. Mr Pointment’s best performance over fences followed with a fantastic display in the totesport.com Becher Chase over the Grand National Fences at Aintree on November 25, 2007. Out in front after the third fence, Mr Pointment ground out a game length victory over Bewleys Berry, a win that catapulted him to the top of the John Smith’s Grand National betting. On his final start before this year’s John Smith’s Grand National, Mr Pointment broke a blood vessel in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster on March 1, and could only finish sixth behind new National favourite Cloudy Lane. Trainer Paul Nicholls is adamant that Mr Pointment will be a far bigger threat to the Donald McCain Jnr-trained contender on April 5.

Race Record: Starts: 12; Wins: 5; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money £85,599

Stockton Heath Racing
Stockton Heath Racing is a Warrington-based syndicate of six people: hairdresser Anton Johnson, his father (former hairdresser) Russ, Pete Mills, Jonathan Jones, Simon Davis and Mike Osborne. Mr Pointment is their only current horse, although Anton and three others previously operated as the Stockton Heath syndicate and owned Suspendid, who was trained by Charles Egerton and Richard Lee between 2000 and 2004. Anton and his father are both keen supporters of Warrington Wolves Rugby League club, although Anton prefers to spend his summers playing golf. Russ Johnson recently opened a tapas bar in Stockton Heath which he runs with fellow syndicate member Mike Osborne. Anton is a keen racing enthusiast and spends about £4,000 a year on the Racing Post’s ten-to-follow competition. At one point in 2004, he had 250 lists in the first 310 places. Mr Pointment featured heavily in his entries this year. Although there is no significance in the red and blue colours used by the syndicate, they are the exact colours of Anton’s former school’s (St Ambrose’s) rugby socks. Anton may wear a pair on National Day, while Pete Mills’ wife has bought a selection of matching ties for the big occasion.
No previous John Smith’s Grand National runners

Paul Nicholls
Paul Nicholls, the son of a policeman, was born in Olveston, Bristol, on April 17, 1962, and has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. He started out as a jump jockey and twice rode the winner of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury, in 1986 and 1987. He partnered 130 winners between 1980 and 1989, and nominates the best horses he rode as Broadheath, Playschool and Seagram. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant trainer to former Devon-based David Barons, who sent out Seagram to win the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during that time. Having strongly challenged Martin Pipe for the jump trainers’ championship in recent years, most notably when pushing his great rival right to the last day of the 2004/05 campaign, he claimed his first title in the 2005/06 season, and followed up last term, with the hugely-talented Kauto Star being the flag-bearer with victories in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase, the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton, Newbury’s AON Chase and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Paul Nicholls pulled off the amazing feat of saddling seven winners and three seconds from his 10 runners on Saturday, November 7, 1998, and made history when he became the first trainer to saddle six winners on the same card, at Wincanton, his local track, on Saturday, January 21, 2006. Another highpoint in his training career came at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival, as he captured the major chase on each of the three days - Flagship Uberalles scored in the Irish Independent Arkle Chase, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following day and, best of all, See More Business took the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nicholls has trained 20 Cheltenham Festival winners in total, and was the most successful trainer at The Festival in 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. His three successes this year were Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, Celestial Halo in the JCB Triumph Hurdle and Denman in the totesport Gold Cup, where stablemates Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges gave Nicholls a 1-2-3 in the race . His sole success at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in 2007 was Twist Magic in the Grade One John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase. His 1,000th British winner came when Noble Action won at Folkestone on November 15, 2004. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1992 Just So (6th); 1996 Vicompt De Valmont (10th), Deep Bramble (PU bef 2 out), Brackenfield (UR 19th); 1997 Straight Talk (Fell 14th); 1998 What A Hand (Fell 1st), Court Melody (Fell 6th), General Crack (PU 11th); 1999 Strong Chairman (15th), Double Thriller (Fell 1st), 2000 Earthmover (Fell 4th), Torduff Express (Fell 13th), Flaked Oats (Fell 20th), Escartefigue (UR 30th); 2001 Earthmover (Fell 4th); 2002 Murt’s Man (PU bef 17th), Ad Hoc (BD 27th); 2003 Montifault (5th), Fadalko (UR 6th), Ad Hoc (UR 19th), Shotgun Willy (PU bef 22nd), Torduff Express (UR 27th); 2004 Exit To Wave (PU bef 9th); 2005 Royal Auclair (2nd), Heros Collonges (8th), L’Aventure (15th), Ad Hoc (Fell 22nd); 2006 Royal Auclair (Fell 1st), Le Roi Miguel (PU bef 19th), Cornish Rebel (PU bef 19th), Silver Birch (Fell 15th), Le Duc (UR 8th), Heros Collonges (UR 15th); 2007 Royal Auclair (Fell 9th), Le Duc (UR 6th), Eurotrek (PU bef 22nd), Thisthatandtother(PU bef 30th)

PHILSON RUN (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Un Desperado (FR) - Isis (Deep Run)

12-10-08
Form: 1/P110/0FP21P6/04-2B
Owner: Gale Force One
Trainer: Nick Williams
Breeder: Martin Hoste

Philson Run
The winner of an Irish point-to-point in March, 2003, Philson Run had his first run under Rules when winning a Wincanton hunter chase in February, 2004. He sustained a tendon injury and did not run again until Boxing Day of that year when he reappeared in a handicap chase on the same course, but lost his action and was pulled up four out. It was a different horse that contested a handicap chase at Chepstow three weeks later. Staying on strongly, he pulled clear of Nigel Twiston-Davies' Prominent Profile and earned himself a place in the Midlands Grand National in March, 2005. The Uttoxeter race was only his fourth under Rules and the horse had suffered from both wind and leg problems, but the setbacks and his inexperience proved no barrier and, with Paul Carberry up, won a very competitive renewal of the contest. In his last race of the season, he finished seventh in the Scottish Grand National. His first experience of the Aintree fences was not a happy one, the horse failing to negotiate Valentines, the very first fence in the totesport Becher Chase in November, 2005. After the Becher Chase, the horse had no sort of run in the Welsh National, but came back to form with a vengeance in February, 2006, when running the race of his life to take the Eider Chase at Newcastle. For the 2006/07 season, Philson Run was specifically aimed at the John Smith’s Grand National, and did not see a racecourse before lining up in the Grade Three Red Square Vodka Gold Cup in February, 2007, where the gelding made a bad mistake when beginning to challenge two fences from home, eventually finishing fourth behind Heltornic. In the John Smith’s Grand National, Philson Run ran a fantastic race on ground many considered too fast for him, finishing a gallant fourth behind Silver Birch. This season, all roads have again led to Aintree, and Philson Run made his first appearance of the campaign in the Grade Three totesport.com Classic Chase at Warwick on January 12, where the 12-year-old revelled in the heavy ground to finish second behind D’Argent. Philson Run appeared in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup for a second time on February 16, but the gelding made several mistakes before being brought down by Sixo five fences from home.
Race Record: Starts: 16; 1st: 4; 2nd: 2; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £169,309

Gale Force One
The Gale Force syndicates were set up by Tony Gale and John Storey, the Gale unsurprisingly comes from Tony's name, the Force comes from the fact that they are both retired policemen. Gale Force One was the duo's first syndicate, set up to buy Philson Run five years ago. The horse was actually unsold at the Doncaster May Sale in 2003 and they bought him afterwards for just £6,500. Gale and Storey now also run Gale Forces Two, Three, Four, Five and Six; the horses being Risky Viking, Theocritus and Mighty Mousse (all with Nick Williams), Pedro's Brief (Richard Lee) and Meet The Legend (Williams again). The pair do not advertise their syndicates; all the members have joined by word of mouth. And many of them are members of the other force too!
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Philson Run (4th)

Nick Williams
Nick Williams, born June 25, 1956, trains at Culverhill Farm, George Nympton, South Molton, a former dairy farm near Exmoor in Devon. He also works as an accountant alongside his wife, Jane. Williams trains a string of around 15 horses and takes great efforts in researching through bloodstock books in his library of around 1,000. Williams started out in racing as a groom for Willie Musson in Surrey before leaving the sport for around 15 years to qualify as an accountant and then go into business. His first wife Sarah trains successfully and he formerly acted as her assistant. Soon after they divorced in 1996, Williams took out a permit and upgraded to a full licence in February, 2001. His best horses have been Philson Run, smart novice chaser Dom D’Orgeval, who was sold to join David Pipe, seven-time chase winner Dead-Eyed Dick and Grade Three Chase scorer Maljimar.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Philson Run (4th)

POINT BARROW (IRE) FACTFILE

9 b g Arctic Lord - Credit Transfer (IRE) (Kemal (FR))

10-10-13
Form: 1F152/54211150/600061/P04B133F2-0080403
Owner: Clune Hughes
Trainer: Pat Hughes IRE
Breeder: Henry Dunne

Point Barrow
Point Barrow won a 12-runner bumper at Leopardstown in December, 2003, on his debut and despite falling on his hurdling bow at Naas the following month, he made amends next time out back at Leopardstown, when holding off Mesmeric by a head. He went on to run with credit in better company that season, chasing home Sadlers Wings in Grade Two company at Fairyhouse, and running fifth to the same rival in the Grade One Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April, 2004. Sent novice chasing for the 2004/05 season, he followed two good efforts with a hat-trick of wins, including the Grade Two Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase and the Grade Three Ten Up Novice Chase, both at Naas over three miles. He acquitted himself well when a close fifth to Another Rum in the 2005 National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival over four miles and a furlong, before failing to get competitive behind Numbersixvalverde in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. He started the 2005/06 campaign in disappointing fashion, managing no better than sixth in five outings, but came back to form with a vengeance when landing a 20/1 surprise in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April, 2006, coming home a length in front of Oulart under Philip Carberry. After a quiet start last season, he outpointed A New Story in the valuable Pierse Leopardstown Handicap Chase in January, 2007, and went on to put in good efforts in the Grade Two Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse and over hurdles at Navan before starting 8/1 co-favourite for last year’s John Smith’s Grand National when he got no further than the first fence. He rounded off the campaign with second place in a handicap hurdle at Punchestown. He made a relatively quiet start to this season but has put in some better efforts recently when fourth in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in January and third to In The Loop in a three and a quarter mile chase at Down Royal on March 17.

Race Record: Starts: 35; Wins: 7; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 3; Win and Place prize money: £235,264

Clune Hughes
Clune Hughes is the wife of Pat Hughes’ cousin, Paddy Hughes, a farmer and engineer. She owns Point Barrow in partnership with Helen O’Dwyer, a retired chemist, and retired solicitor John Foley. The latter owned Barrow Line, a top-class chaser who won the Drinmore Novice Chase and the Arkle Challenge Cup during the 1986-87 season. Point Barrow was originally bought as a four-year for another client, however they declined the youngster as being too expensive, and when John Foley asked Pat Hughes if he had any horses for sale, the deal was sealed. In 2006, along with Pat Hughes, Clune Hughes, Helen O’Dwyer and John Foley were the guests of Carlow County Council at a civic reception to recognise their achievements with Point Barrow, who captured the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April, 2006, while last year their talented 10-year-old landed the valuable Pierse Leopardstown Chase. Helen O’Dwyer and husband Michael owned another John Smith’s Grand National runner last year, the Willie Mullins-trained Bothar Na, who pulled up
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Point Barrow (Fell 1st)

Pat Hughes
Born on March 10, 1943, Pat Hughes - who has five children and is married to Eleanor, a sister of the great Eddie Harty - took over the family farm in 1959 after the death of his father, who owned a handful of mares and trained a small string. Pat Hughes had a permit in 1962 for a year but returned to farming the family’s 300 acres before he took out a full licence in 1977. His first win came via No Battle at Gowran Park on October 31 that year and two and a half hours later Musical Glen was awarded the bumper in the stewards’ room to give him a double. Based at Fenniscourt, Bagenalstown, in Co Carlow, one of his best horses in the early years was Potato Merchant, a useful dual-purpose performer who landed the 1980 Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh. Hughes has tasted success at the Cheltenham Festival, landing the Royal & SunAlliance Chase in 1985 with Antarctic Bay, and he sent out Sharpaten to capture the John Smith’s Extra Smooth Handicap Hurdle at Aintree in 2000. He has also won the Irish Grand National twice with Insure (1986) and Point Barrow (2006), the Pierse Hurdle (formerly the Ladbroke Hurdle) twice with Mantles Prince (2000) and Grinkov (2001), while Time Machine took the 1985 Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot. Other high class winners include Barrow Line (1986 Drinmore Novice Chase, 1987 Arkle Challenge Cup), Abbey Glen (1987 Drinmore Novice Chase, 1987 Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase), Quinze (1997 Lartigue Hurdle, 1999 Galway Hurdle) and his current stable star Point Barrow, who last year added the valuable Pierse Leopardstown Chase to his previous victory in the Irish Grand National. Point Barrow was Pat Hughes’ first runner in the John Smith’s Grand National in 2007.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Point Barrow (Fell 1st)

ROYAL AUCLAIR (FR) FACTFILE

ch g Garde Royale - Carmonera (FR) (Carmont (FR))

11-10-10
Form: 531115/F111/440/4F04422302/1323342F/51520F00/65036F-04U3335
Owner: Clive Smith
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Breeder: Jacky Rauch, Mme Colette Rauch & Patrick Lauer

Royal Auclair
Formerly trained in France, where he won two hurdle races at Enghien in 2000, Royal Auclair made a winning debut in Britain for Martin Pipe in a novices’ hurdle at Sandown in February, 2001. On his one subsequent start that term, he was well beaten by Montalcino in the Citroen C4 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. The next season he was sent over the bigger obstacles, winning three of his four starts including the Cathcart Chase at the Cheltenham Festival that March. During the 2002/03 campaign, the Garde Royale gelding was less successful, going down by at least 15 lengths on his three outings. He was transferred to Paul Nicholls in August, 2003. During the 2003/04 season, he finished in the first four on seven of his 10 starts, including on his final outing at Sandown in the Betfred Gold Cup that April, going down by a short-head to Puntal. Royal Auclair made a winning reappearance the following season, in the Listed Badger Ales Handicap Chase at Wincanton. He was subsequently an excellent third to Celestial Gold in Newbury’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and obtained the same placing behind Grey Abbey in the Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham. A fine fourth to Kicking King in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup preceded a tremendous performance when second under 11st 10lb to Hedgehunter in the 2005 John Smith’s Grand National, before falling at the first in the Betfred Gold Cup. A reappearance fifth to Kingscliff in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, 2005, was followed by victory in a Listed handicap chase at Cheltenham the following month. He was then fifth to Kicking King in the Stan James King George VI Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day, before a surprise defeat when second to See You Sometime in the Cotswold Chase at Wincanton. He then ran ninth behind War Of Attrition in the totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March, 2006, but got no further than the first fence in the 2006 John Smith’s Grand National, and failed to get competitive on his next two starts in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr and the Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown. Royal Auclair kicked off the 2006/07 campaign with a sixth to See You Sometime in a valuable three-mile chase at Ascot in October, and then ran fifth to Spot Thedifference in a cross-country event at Cheltenham the following month. After coming home seventh behind Whispered Secret at Cheltenham in January, Royal Auclair ran well when third behind Kauto Star in the AON Chase at Newbury on February 10, prior to finishing sixth to Heads Onthe Ground in the BGC Handicap Chase, over the cross-county course, at Cheltenham in March. In last year’s John Smith’s Grand National, Royal Auclair was prominent in the early stages of the race, but fell at the ninth fence. This season, Royal Auclair put a below par effort in a Grade Three chase at Ascot behind him with a close fourth behind course specialist Spot Thedifference in a cross-country chase at Cheltenham in November. After another disappointing effort over the National fences, when unseating in the totesport Becher Chase nine days later, Royal Auclair returned to Cheltenham with another good display over the cross-country course, finishing third behind Wonderkid, a position he would also fill in veterans’ handicap chases at Wincanton and Newbury. On his final start prior to the John Smith’s Grand National this year, Royal Auclair finished fifth in the BCG Handicap Chase, again over the cross-country course, at the Cheltenham Festival on March 11.

Race Record: Starts: 52; 1st: 8; 2nd: 6; 3rd: 9; Win & Place Prize Money: £487,486

Clive Smith
Clive Smith is a true jumping enthusiast who first went to Cheltenham in 1974 and has made a significant investment in his string of horses in recent years. A former Surrey golf captain, he was busy building golf courses, including Windlemere, Hawthorn Hill (now Birds Hill) and Pine Ridge, when first breaking into racehorse ownership in 1987 with Hawthorn Hill Lad, trained by Jenny Pitman. The owner then had a brief spell with David Elsworth before having horses with Martin Pipe for 12 years, but took the decision to switch his string to another Somerset-based handler, Paul Nicholls, in the summer of 2003. He bid up to 500,000gns at Doncaster Sales in May, 2004, for the record-priced Garde Champetre, who was eventually sold to J P McManus for 530,000gns. The brilliant Kauto Star won his connections a £1 million bonus put up by Betfair when completing a big race treble in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup last season. Smith, a shrewd punter, is also believed to have collected over £100,000 in winning bets after his charge's Cheltenham victory. This year, the blow of Kauto Star finishing second in the totesport Gold Cup behind Denman was softened by a scintillating performance by new recruit Master Minded to capture the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. A former executive with Ford and Chrysler who lives at Wentworth in Surrey, Smith is well known in the golfing world as the founder of the Lagonda Trophy, which attracts an international field of top amateurs, has been won by Lee Westwood and Luke Donald and is in its 33rd year. He is also a vintage car enthusiast and owns a 1928 and 1930 Lagonda.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2005 Royal Auclair (2nd); 2006 Royal Auclair (Fell 1st); 2007 Royal Auclair (Fell 9th)

Paul Nicholls
Paul Nicholls, the son of a policeman, was born in Olveston, Bristol, on April 17, 1962, and has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. He started out as a jump jockey and twice rode the winner of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury, in 1986 and 1987. He partnered 130 winners between 1980 and 1989, and nominates the best horses he rode as Broadheath, Playschool and Seagram. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant trainer to former Devon-based David Barons, who sent out Seagram to win the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during that time. Having strongly challenged Martin Pipe for the jump trainers’ championship in recent years, most notably when pushing his great rival right to the last day of the 2004/05 campaign, he claimed his first title in the 2005/06 season, and followed up last term, with the hugely-talented Kauto Star being the flag-bearer with victories in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase, the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton, Newbury’s AON Chase and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Paul Nicholls pulled off the amazing feat of saddling seven winners and three seconds from his 10 runners on Saturday, November 7, 1998, and made history when he became the first trainer to saddle six winners on the same card, at Wincanton, his local track, on Saturday, January 21, 2006. Another highpoint in his training career came at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival, as he captured the major chase on each of the three days - Flagship Uberalles scored in the Irish Independent Arkle Chase, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following day and, best of all, See More Business took the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nicholls has trained 20 Cheltenham Festival winners in total, and was the most successful trainer at The Festival in 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. His three successes this year were Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, Celestial Halo in the JCB Triumph Hurdle and Denman in the totesport Gold Cup, where stablemates Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges gave Nicholls a 1-2-3 in the race . His sole success at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in 2007 was Twist Magic in the Grade One John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase. His 1,000th British winner came when Noble Action won at Folkestone on November 15, 2004. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1992 Just So (6th); 1996 Vicompt De Valmont (10th), Deep Bramble (PU bef 29th), Brackenfield (UR 19th); 1997 Straight Talk (Fell 14th); 1998 What A Hand (Fell 1st), Court Melody (Fell 6th), General Crack (PU bef 11th); 1999 Strong Chairman (15th), Double Thriller (Fell 1st), 2000 Earthmover (Fell 4th), Torduff Express (Fell 13th), Flaked Oats (Fell 20th), Escartefigue (UR 30th); 2001 Earthmover (Fell 4th); 2002 Murt’s Man (PU bef 17th), Ad Hoc (BD 27th); 2003 Montifault (5th), Fadalko (UR 6th), Ad Hoc (UR 19th), Shotgun Willy (PU bef 22nd), Torduff Express (UR 27th); 2004 Exit To Wave (PU bef 9th); 2005 Royal Auclair (2nd), Heros Collonges (8th), L’Aventure (15th), Ad Hoc (Fell 22nd); 2006 Royal Auclair (Fell 1st), Le Roi Miguel (PU bef 19th), Cornish Rebel (PU bef 19th), Silver Birch (Fell 15th), Le Duc (UR 8th), Heros Collonges (UR 15th); 2007 Royal Auclair (Fell 9th), Le Duc (UR 6th), Eurotrek (PU bef 22nd), Thisthatandtother(PU bef 30th)

SIMON (GB) FACTFILE

b g Overbury (IRE) - Gaye Memory (Buckskin (FR))

9-11-07
Form: 1224203/4341211/52611F-52U4
Owner/Breeder: Mercy Rimell
Trainer: John Spearing
Jockey: Dominic Elsworth

Simon
The home-bred Simon is the apple of owner and former trainer Mercy Rimell’s eye, being out of a winning half-sister to the 1983 Champion Hurdle winner Gaye Brief, who was trained by Rimell herself. Following a successful novice chase campaign, he stamped himself as a leading staying handicap chaser last season with victory in the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton. Rimell initially sent Simon to Ireland where he was placed under the care of trainer Philip Fenton, winning his only point-to-point at Ballysteen on April 25, 2004. The then five-year-old made a winning debut under Rules on soft to yielding ground in a two-mile novice hurdle at Wexford on November 12, 2004. Pitched into Grade Three company and upped to three miles on his second start at Cork, he went down by four lengths to the classy Homer Wells. Simon failed to win in five subsequent starts that term but proved to be game and consistent, only once finishing out of the frame at distances from two miles to two and three quarter miles. He returned home and joined the Kinnersley yard of John Spearing, where the Rimells previously trained, for the start of the 2005/2006 season. A disappointing start to his chasing career saw him finish a remote fourth behind Mount Clerigo at Uttoxeter in November. He improved to finish 13 lengths third, conceding 12lb to the winner Nadover in an extended two and a half-mile contest at Bangor in December, but again disappointed in taking fourth at Huntingdon later that month. He was fortunate to break his chase duck at Wincanton in January, 2006, when he benefited from Nayodabayo’s last fence fall to take the spoils. A heavy ground Haydock handicap was the setting for a creditable second in February, and he rounded off the campaign in fine style with victories over three miles on heavy going at Uttoxeter in March and over an extended three miles on soft going at Bangor in April. Last season began with a fifth place at Bangor, before coming a good second to Tana River in the extended three miles, five furlongs williamhill.co.uk Marathon Chase at Sandown in December. He was sent off the 11/2 favourite for the 2006 Coral Welsh National but paid the price for racing a touch too keenly under Andrew Thornton and crossed the line sixth of the 12 finishers behind Halcon Genelardais. An improved effort at Southwell in January, 2007, brought success in the Listed Sky Bet Chase over an extended three miles, when nine lengths clear of Ardaghey and he continued his upward curve in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton with a 10-length defeat of Cornish Sett before falling at the 25th when still in with a chance in the 2007 John Smith’s Grand National. He returned this season in a Grade Three handicap chase at Cheltenham in November, when finishing fifth to Sir Rembrandt, and went on to be runner-up a month later at Prestbury Park in a 3m 2f handicap chase. He was travelling well when unseating his rider in the Grade Two Letheby & Christopher Chase at Cheltenham in March and his latest start came when a staying-on fourth to Gungadu in the Racing Post Chase.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 24; Wins: 6: 2nd: 6; 3rd: 2; Win and Place Prize Money: £178,236

Mercy Rimell
Mercy Rimell, 88, has been one of the most famous figures on the National Hunt scene for over half a century. She has spent her entire life around horses and was an international junior rider when only seven, before competing for England in France aged 10. She rode her first point-to-point winner four years later. Mercy married the four-time champion jump jockey Fred Rimell at the age of 17 in 1937 and, when Fred turned his hand to training in 1945, played a key role in the success of their Kinnersley yard, which enjoyed four Grand National successes (1956 ESB, 1961 Nicolaus Silver, 1970 Gay Trip, 1976 Rag Trade). The yard also sent out two Gold Cup winners (1967 Woodland Venture and 1976 Royal Frolic) as well as a dual champion hurdler in Comedy Of Errors (1973 & 1975). Following Fred’s death, Mercy took over the training licence in July, 1981, and continued the yard’s success. Her first winner came with Tru Mar at Worcester on August 8, 1981, and she saddled 232 winners in all. Up to her retirement in 1989, she continued to enjoy success at the highest level, most notably with 1983 Champion Hurdle winner Gaye Brief. That gelding’s full-brother Gaye Chance landed the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle and the Stayers Hurdle (now the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle and Ladbrokes World Hurdle, respectively) at the Cheltenham Festival. She also trained Three Counties, ridden by her granddaughter Katie, to win the 1989 Christies Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham. Her grandson Mark Rimell is a trainer. Mercy, who also bred Simon, saddled Gala’s Image to finish seventh behind Little Polveir in the 1989 John Smith’s Grand National while Pilot Officer was still well in contention when departing at the Chair in 1983. Simon was her first runner in the race as an owner last year when falling at the 25th when still in with a chance.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Simon (Fell 25th)

John Spearing
John Lionel Spearing, 67, was born into a farming family in Moreton-In-Marsh, Gloucestershire, on May 7, 1940. He spent his early years around horses and rode in point-to-points and under Rules as an amateur, numbering a hunter chase at Cheltenham among his handful of victories. He turned to training in 1971 when the owner of a mare he had ridden asked him if he would be interested in training her. Glendale, the horse in question, won nine times for the accidental trainer, who was initially based at Kineton, Warwickshire. As his one-horse string expanded, he moved to a bigger yard at Sherriff’s Lynch, and further successes took him to Moor Hall Stables at Wixford, near Alcester, Warwickshire, where he established himself from 1975. Spearing trains under both codes, but his biggest successes to date have come over jumps. Run And Skip was the star of the yard in the 1980s, capturing a host of races including the Coral Welsh National in 1985, while last season, Simon captured the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton. His Flat successes include Vax Lady in the Listed Pearl Sprint Stakes at Phoenix Park in 1990, while in April of that year he sent out Lucedeo to win four races in eight days. Spearing also expertly handled Beverley specialist Rapid Lad to collect 12 victories at the East Yorkshire track. Since February, 1998, he has been based at the historic Kinnersley Stables in Worcestershire, made famous by Fred and Mercy Rimell.

John Smith’s Grand National record: 1985 Solihull Sport (Fell 1st); 1991 Run And Skip (Fell 2nd); 2007 Simon (Fell 25th)

Dominic Elsworth
Dominic Elsworth, who hails from Guiseley near Leeds and was born on January 17, 1980, has come a long way since “wobbling off” his first ever ride in public. He has ridden since the age of eight, mixing hunting, eventing and point-to-pointing and says he ended up as a jockey because he wasn’t bright enough to do anything else at school! He joined Sue and Harvey Smith near Bingley in West Yorkshire at the age of 16 but left to become a freelance in July, 2006. He had one of his biggest successes when winning the totesport Becher Chase over the National fences on Ardent Scout at Aintree in November, 2002, and won the Castleford Chase twice aboard Mister McGoldrick, who gave him a first Cheltenham Festival success this year when winning the Racing Post Plate aged 11 at odds of 66/1. He won the 2007 John Smith’s Red Rum Handicap Chase on Bambi De L’Orme and came in for the ride on Simon following an injury to regular pilot Andrew Thornton. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2003 Southern Star (14th); 2004 Arctic Jack (Fell 1st); 2005 Native Emperor (UR 9th); 2006 Ross Comm (Fell 4th); 2007 Le Duc (UR 6th).

SLIM PICKINGS (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Scribano - Adapan (Pitpan)

9-11-03
Form: 201317/21F412/33P3F53-62S5
Owner: Doubtful Five Syndicate
Trainer: Tom Taaffe IRE
Breeder: T A O'Donnell

Slim Pickings
It took three attempts in bumpers with trainer Robert Tyner before Slim Pickings got off the mark at Gowran Park in January, 2005, when justifying favouritism by two lengths from My True Romance. He then began his hurdling career, entering the winner’s enclosure at the second time of asking in a maiden at Leopardstown in March. He went chasing in October, 2005, after finishing as bridesmaid on his initial effort, he went one better in a Grade Three novices’ chase at Punchestown in November. That victory came over 2m 6f and Tyner opined that his charge would be better over three miles and it was at that distance that Slim Pickings gained his next victory in a Listed chase in April at Cork where he mastered Sher Beau by four lengths. He rounded off the campaign with a creditable second to Missed That in a Grade Two novices' chase at the Punchestown Festival. Slim Pickings did not win last season but managed three thirds - behind Oodachee in a Grade Three chase at Limerick on his reappearance, adrift of Sir Oj in a similar event at one grade higher at Gowran Park in October, and in arrears of Public Reaction in the Thurles Chase the following month - before moving to Tom Taaffe’s stable. He fell on his first outing for Taaffe before finishing fifth behind Idole First in the Racing Post Plate at the Cheltenham Festival and then running a blinder when finishing two-lengths third to Silver Birch in last season’s John Smiths Grand National. This season he finished sixth in a Naas handicap chase on his return in October before coming a good second in a handicap hurdle at Navan. Most recently he came fifth to Well Tutored in a handicap chase at Leopardstown on March 2.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 23; Wins: 4; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 5; Win and Place Prize Money: £148,969

Doubtful Five Syndicate
Owned by five Cork businessmen, including Noel Hanley, who spotted the horse in a field as a two-year-old. He divides his share with his daughter Yvonne, who manages the syndicate, and the other members are Bob Smith, Barry Sheehan, Leonard Fitzgerald and Tim Lenehan.

John Smith’s Grand National record: 2007 Slim Pickings (3rd)

Tom Taaffe
Tom Taaffe, who was born on June 15, 1963, is son of the peerless Arkle's legendary jockey Pat Taaffe, who rode two Grand National winners in Quare Times (1955) and Gay Trip (1970). Tom took a giant stride into the limelight in 2005 thanks to his impeccable handling of totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King. Taaffe spent his schoolboy summers working for Arthur Moore and forged an association with the trainer that lasted 15 years, first as an amateur rider and then as a professional jockey. He rode his first winner at Phoenix Park in 1981 and enjoyed a successful career in the saddle as a jump jockey, partnering 400 winners. He finished third in the 1988 Grand National aboard Monanore and began training from Portree Stables near Straffan in County Kildare in 1994. In 1998, he enjoyed his first Grade One triumph with Delphi Lodge in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. Kicking King's Gold Cup success, combined with his earlier Stan James King George VI victory, enabled Taaffe to emulate his father, who saddled Captain Christy to victory in the same two races. Although Kicking King did not make it to Cheltenham this year, Taaffe enjoyed his second success at the Festival when Finger Onthe Pulse won the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase this year.

John Smith's Grand National Record: 2007 Slim Pickings (3rd)
SNOWY MORNING (IRE) FACTFILE

b g Moscow Society (USA) - Miss Perky (IRE) (Creative Plan (USA))

8-11-01
Form: 121121124-F1133
Owner: Quayside Syndicate
Trainer: Willie Mullins IRE
Breeder: Philip Morrissey

Snowy Morning:
A winner of seven of his 14 starts, Snowy Morning has become one of Ireland’s leading chasers and has only finished out of the frame on two occasions. The son of Moscow Society - who won two of his six starts in point-to-points -was successful on his first racecourse appearance, winning a bumper at Ballinrobe by the minimum distance in May, 2006. Following a good second on his first start over hurdles at Navan later that month, Snowy Morning greeted the judge in a competitive maiden hurdle at Punchestown in June, and followed up with an impressive 12 length victory on his chase debut at Navan in December. After a good second and another victory in low-key chases at Naas and Gowran Park, Willie Mullins let Snowy Morning take his chance in the Grade Two Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan in February, 2007, where the gelding produced a superb performance to prevail by four lengths, despite blundering at the penultimate fence. He continued to improve, beating all bar the future Gold Cup winner Denman in the Grade One Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in the following month. Perhaps feeling the effects of a long season, Snowy Morning posted a rare under-par display in the Grade One Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April, 2007, finishing a well-beaten fourth. He returned to England the following season and started his campaign as favourite for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury in December, but made a terrible error at the seventh fence, giving jockey Tony McCoy no chance. Snowy Morning returned to hurdles later that month, winning at Fairyhouse and Punchestown, before producing a solid display of jumping in the Grade One Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on December 31, finishing third, six lengths behind winner The Listener. However, concerns over his jumping resurfaced in the Grade Two Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on February 23, when Snowy Morning made several mistakes and could only finish third behind Afistfullofdollars and stablemate Hedgehunter.
Race Record: Starts: 14; Wins: 7 ; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £129,078.

Quayside Syndicate:
The five-strong County Wexford-based Quayside Syndicate, made up of brothers Liam, Michael and Jim Mooney, along with their sister Phyllis Geraghty and nephew Donal O'Gorman, are somewhat lucky to still own John Smith's Grand National hopeful Snowy Morning. After selling him for 10,000gns at Doncaster in 2004, the Moscow Society gelding was returned to the syndicate. Donal originally bought Snowy Morning as a three-year-old at the 2003 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale for 25,000 euros, but the other four soon joined him and he won two of his six starts in Irish point-to-points for them. Being from one of the most successful hurling counties in Ireland, the syndicate's colours were selected to match their respective local GAA clubs of Rathnure and Adamstown. Donal previously enjoyed success as an owner, most notably when his Dabiroun landed the 2005 Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham for trainer Paul Nolan, a former Wexford Junior All-Ireland winning hurler.

No previous John Smith’s Grand National runners

Willie Mullins IRE
Born September 15, 1956, Willie Mullins was six-times amateur champion rider in Ireland and his major successes in the saddle included the 1983 John Smith’s Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree on Atha Cliath, before taking out a training licence in 1988. He hails from one of Ireland's most famous racing families, being a son of Paddy Mullins, the now retired outstanding all-round trainer, whose most famous star was Dawn Run, winner of the 1984 Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup two years later. Willie Mullins rode and trained Wither Or Which to win the 1996 Weatherbys Champion Bumper, the Cheltenham Festival race in which he has saddled six winners (also Florida Pearl 1997, Alexander Banquet 1998, Joe Cullen 2000, Missed That 2005 and Cousin Vinny 2008). Mullins saddled Rule Supreme to win the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival and sent out the same horse to win the Irish Hennessy in 2005. His best horse to date has been Florida Pearl, who was placed in two Cheltenham Gold Cups, won the 1998 Royal & SunAlliance Chase, the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004 Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cups in Ireland as well as the 2001 King George VI Chase and the 2002 totesport Bowl at Aintree. Mullins, who began training in 1988, has around 100 horses at his Closutton yard near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow and his first John Smith’s Grand National runner as a trainer, Micko's Dream, fell at the first in 2000, while, as a jockey, his rides included The Ladys Master, who ran out in 1983, and Hazy Dawn, who fell at the sixth the following year. The loquacious Mullins, a former chairman of the Irish Trainers' Federation, also suffered heartache in 2004 when Hedgehunter departed at the final fence in the John Smith’s Grand National when looking assured of a place. Mullins overcame bad luck in the John Smith’s Grand National the following year when Hedgehunter came home 14 lengths clear of Royal Auclair. Hedgehunter was then second the following year and ninth in 2007. Mullins has trained 12 Cheltenham Festival winners, most recently scoring a quick double this year with Cousin Vinny in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (ridden by his 18-year-old son Patrick) and Fiveforthree in the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle. John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2000 Micko's Dream (Fell 1st); 2002 Alexander Banquet (UR 6th), 2004 Alexander Banquet (Fell 18th); Hedgehunter (Fell 30th), 2005 HEDGEHUNTER (WON), 2006 Hedgehunter (2nd), 2007 Hedgehunter (9th), Homer Wells (PU bef 22nd), Bothar Na (PU bef 29th), Livingstonebramble (UR 6th)

TUMBLING DICE (IRE) FACTFILE

b g King’s Theatre (IRE) - Eva Fay (IRE) (Fayruz)

9-10-10
Form: 00023150140/F4112F33/103P13P/201554-50626
Owner: Lucy Donegan
Trainer: Tom Taaffe IRE
Breeder: John McEnery
Jockey: Tom Ryan

Tumbling Dice
Having started his career with two unsuccessful starts on the Flat for Charles O’Brien, Tumbling Dice was acquired by his current owners and sent for a National Hunt career with Tom Taaffe. His first start over hurdles came in October, 2003, when he was a well-beaten eighth. He then finished 11th in a race that saw subsequent totesport Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition finish second. Although only ninth next time out, he was only two lengths off Macs Joy in a race won by Lingo. His next two starts saw considerable improvement with a runner-up placing followed by a third to Mansony. Stepped up from two miles to two and a half miles, Tumbling Dice got off the mark at Cork on January 3, 2004 with a gutsy half-length victory. Three runs later he was back in the winner’s enclosure at Wexford on March 13 that season. His 2004/2005 campaign got off to a bad start when he took a fall two out in a handicap hurdle when making his challenge. However, he soon rattled off a couple of wins at Punchestown in November and December. He came close to completing a good double for his trainer at Kempton Park on Boxing Day when just failing by a neck on a day when Kicking King landed the featured King George VI Chase. After an unlucky penultimate hurdle fall, Tumbling Dice travelled to Cheltenham and was third in the Coral Cup. He filled the same spot a month later in the Grade Two John Smith’s Liverpool Hurdle, 11 lengths behind Monet’s Garden. Sent novice chasing the following season, Tumbling Dice got off to the perfect start, scoring at Cork in October before finish seventh at The Open meeting at Prestbury Park the following month. Having finished third in a Grade One novices’ chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting, he returned to winning ways at Clonmel in February, 2006, before again finishing third at the Cheltenham Festival, this time in the Jewson Novices’ Chase. Last season he landed Cork’s Grade Two Hilly Way Chase in good style in December, while he recorded some good efforts in Grade Two events. This season began with a fifth placing in the same Cork Grade Two event and, while he has failed to make it into the winner’s enclosure, he ran a creditable second in the Grade Two Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on February 3.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 37; Wins: 7; 2nd: 4; 3rd: 5; Win and Place Prize Money: £130,885

Lucy Donegan
Tumbling Dice is owned by Lucy Donegan, a cousin of trainer Tom Taaffe, and her husband John. The couple acquired Tumbling Dice, the first horse to carry their black and red silks, off the Flat from Charles O’Brien and put him in training for a National Hunt career with Taaffe, an obvious choice of trainer for them. Keen golfers, the Donegans live on their farm in North Co. Dublin with their four daughters - Kate, Annie, Molly and Lu - all of whom have inherited the family passion for horses. Lucy attributes the selection of the black colours to her bad eyesight and inability to pick out brighter colours from a field of horses, while red is her favourite colour.

No previous John Smith’s Grand National runners

Tom Taaffe
Tom Taaffe, who was born on June 15, 1963, is son of the peerless Arkle's legendary jockey Pat Taaffe, who rode two Grand National winners in Quare Times (1955) and Gay Trip (1970). Tom took a giant stride into the limelight in 2005 thanks to his impeccable handling of totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Kicking King. Taaffe spent his schoolboy summers working for Arthur Moore and forged an association with the trainer that lasted 15 years, first as an amateur rider and then as a professional jockey. He rode his first winner at Phoenix Park in 1981 and enjoyed a successful career in the saddle as a jump jockey, partnering 400 winners. He finished third in the 1988 Grand National aboard Monanore and began training from Portree Stables near Straffan in County Kildare in 1994. In 1998, he enjoyed his first Grade One triumph with Delphi Lodge in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. Kicking King's Gold Cup success, combined with his earlier Stan James King George VI victory, enabled Taaffe to emulate his father, who saddled Captain Christy to victory in the same two races. Although Kicking King did not make it to Cheltenham this year, Taaffe enjoyed his second success at the Festival when Finger Onthe Pulse won the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase.

John Smith's Grand National Record: 2007 Slim Pickings (3rd)

Tom Ryan
A native of Tuam in County Galway, Tom Ryan (born June 7, 1984) is one of Ireland’s leading up and coming jockeys and was crowned leading conditional rider in Ireland for the 2004/05 season. He start his career as an amateur in 2001 and rode in around 20 races and enjoyed one success in that sphere before turning professional. Based with Michael O’Brien on the Curragh, he rode his first winner as a 7lb claiming professional on Away Home at Limerick for his boss on Boxing Day in 2003. Just five days later, on New Year’s Day at Fairyhouse, Ryan recorded his second success and his profile was raised further with a double at Naas in early February. His finest hour came when partnering the J P McManus-owned Kadoun to victory in the Pertemps Final at the 2006 Cheltenham Festival for O’Brien. He joined Tom Taaffe’s stable this year and the pair have enjoyed plenty of success so far.

No previous John Smith’s Grand National rides

TURKO (FR) FACTFILE

gr g Turgeon (USA) - Cambaria (FR) (Nice Havrais (USA))

6-11-10
Form: 411221652/11210P-P123
Owner: The Stewart Family
Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Breeder: Bernard Forges

Turko
Turko is a Turgeon half-brother to the high-class French hurdler Aroldo. The grey gelding started his career as a two-year-old on the Flat with trainer Jehan Bertran De Balanda, finishing ninth in a provincial 10-furlong maiden at Lyon-Parilly on November 26, 2004. Two more unsuccessful efforts came the following May before the then three-year-old made his hurdling debut with a fourth place behind the smart Oh Calin at Clairefontaine on August 5. He returned to the course later that month for his first career triumph. Turko was subsequently sold to The Stewart Family and moved to Paul Nicholls’ Dicheat Stables in Somerset and made a winning debut for his new connections in a juvenile hurdle at Newbury on November 25, 2005. The following month saw him finish second to Afsoun at Cheltenham and to Blue Shark in a Grade One at Chepstow. A win at Wincanton that February was followed by a fair sixth to Detroit City in the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and a to the same rival fifth in the Grade One John Smith’s Anniversary Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Aintree in April. He completed his juvenile hurdle campaign with a runner-up finish to Osactello in two mile, five furlong novice hurdle at Cheltenham later that month. Turko began his novice chase campaign at Aintree in October 2006, defeating Il Duce, Cloudy Lane and L’Antartique in the Digital Prints From Bonusprint.com Novices’ Chase over two and a half miles. He followed up in a Grade Two at Wincanton before filling second behind My Way De Solzen in the Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham in January, 2007. Victory at Fontwell in February was followed by a respectable seventh to the mighty Denman in the Grade One Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham in March, but he was pulled up behind Aces Four at Aintree in the Grade Two John Smith’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase next time. The 2007/2008 season began as the previous campaign ended as Turko was pulled up in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. He bounced back with victory in an extended three-mile chase at Sandown in November. He was second to The Listener in the Grade One Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 10 and, on his most recent start at the Cheltenham Festival, Turko was a fine third to Our Vic in the Grade One Ryanair Chase over an extended two and a half miles.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 19; Wins: 7; 2nd: 5; 3rd: 1 Win & Place Prize Money: £166,057
The Stewart Family
The Stewart Family consists of London-based husband and wife, Andy and Judy Stewart, and their two sons. Andy Stewart, born 1951, went to Felsted School in Essex and used to bunk off to go point-to-pointing at Mark Teys, while also hitchhiking to Liverpool to attend the Grand National meeting. He began work aged 17 in the fixed-interest department of Simon & Coates, eventually becoming a senior partner at that stockbroking firm. He became chief executive of Chase Manhattan Securities when it took over Simon & Coates. He founded broker Collins Stewart in 1991 and was executive deputy chairman when it floated on the Stock Exchange in 2000 before leaving the business in 2003.His current venture, Cenkos Securities, is named after his best racehorse. Cenkos won 15 races and over half a million pounds in prize money and was twice third in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Other good horses owned by Stewart, who was first involved with ownership in 1986 and really caught the racing bug when witnessing Desert Orchid’s emotional Cheltenham Gold Cup victory in 1989, include Le Duc, Le Roi Miguel and My Will. The Stewart Family has around 30 horses in training, primarily with Paul Nicholls. Le Duc and Le Roi Miguel both ran in the 2006 John Smith’s Grand National but in the colours of Simon Cowell, Philip Green and Stuart Rose, after that high-profile trio leased the horses for charity. The Stewart Family enjoyed a first Cheltenham Festival success this year when Celestial Halo won the Grade One JCB Triumph Hurdle. Their well-known chaser Hoo La Baloo won the inaugural running of the John Smith’s People’s Race on John Smith’s Grand National Day in 2007, while the family’s colours were carried for the first time in the big-race itself by Le Duc, who unseated Dominic Elsworth at Becher’s Brook first time. Andy Stewart campaigns Flat horses in a five-strong partnership called the Searchers, also consisting of British Horseracing Authority chairman Paul Roy, Martin Myers, Trevor Harris and Kevan Watts.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: 2007 Le Duc (UR 6th)

Paul Nicholls
Paul Nicholls, the son of a policeman, was born in Olveston, Bristol, on April 17, 1962, and has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. He started out as a jump jockey and twice rode the winner of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury, in 1986 and 1987. He partnered 130 winners between 1980 and 1989, and nominates the best horses he rode as Broadheath, Playschool and Seagram. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant trainer to former Devon-based David Barons, who sent out Seagram to win the 1991 Grand National at Aintree during that time. Having strongly challenged Martin Pipe for the jump trainers’ championship in recent years, most notably when pushing his great rival right to the last day of the 2004/05 campaign, he claimed his first title in the 2005/06 season, and followed up last term, with the hugely-talented Kauto Star being the flag-bearer with victories in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase, the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton, Newbury’s AON Chase and the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Paul Nicholls pulled off the amazing feat of saddling seven winners and three seconds from his 10 runners on Saturday, November 7, 1998, and made history when he became the first trainer to saddle six winners on the same card, at Wincanton, his local track, on Saturday, January 21, 2006. Another highpoint in his training career came at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival, as he captured the major chase on each of the three days - Flagship Uberalles scored in the Irish Independent Arkle Chase, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following day and, best of all, See More Business took the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nicholls has trained 20 Cheltenham Festival winners in total, and was the most successful trainer at The Festival in 1999, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. His three successes this year were Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, Celestial Halo in the JCB Triumph Hurdle and Denman in the totesport Gold Cup, where stablemates Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges gave Nicholls a 1-2-3 in the race . His sole success at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting in 2007 was Twist Magic in the Grade One John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase. His 1,000th British winner came when Noble Action won at Folkestone on November 15, 2004.
John Smith’s Grand National Record: 1992 Just So (6th); 1996 Vicompt De Valmont (10th), Deep Bramble (PU bef 2 out), Brackenfield (UR 19th); 1997 Straight Talk (Fell 14th); 1998 What A Hand (Fell 1st), Court Melody (Fell 6th), General Crack (PU 11th); 1999 Strong Chairman (15th), Double Thriller (Fell 1st), 2000 Earthmover (Fell 4th), Torduff Express (Fell 13th), Flaked Oats (Fell 20th), Escartefigue (UR 30th); 2001 Earthmover (Fell 4th); 2002 Murt’s Man (PU bef 17th), Ad Hoc (BD 27th); 2003 Montifault (5th), Fadalko (UR 6th), Ad Hoc (UR 19th), Shotgun Willy (PU bef 22nd), Torduff Express (UR 27th); 2004 Exit To Wave (PU bef 9th); 2005 Royal Auclair (2nd), Heros Collonges (8th), L’Aventure (15th), Ad Hoc (Fell 22nd); 2006 Royal Auclair (Fell 1st), Le Roi Miguel (PU bef 19th), Cornish Rebel (PU bef 19th), Silver Birch (Fell 15th), Le Duc (UR 8th), Heros Collonges (UR 15th); 2007 Royal Auclair (Fell 9th), Le Duc (UR 6th), Eurotrek (PU bef 22nd), Thisthatandtother(PU bef 30th)

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