Tuesday, April 4, 2006

REVISED RATINGS DETERMINE FAIR
JOHN SMITH’S GRAND NATIONAL ELIMINATIONS

The rules of the race dictate that in instances where more than one horse is set to carry the same weight, in order to determine elimination in a fair manner, those horses are ranked according to current handicap ratings, with the highest rated horse taking precedence.

The original weights, drawn up by BHB Handicapper Phil Smith and released on February 14, allotted Risk Accessor, Direct Access, Colnel Rayburn and Iris Royal, 10st 6lb.

Smith’s revised ratings today have the first three on a mark of 136, placing them numbers 38 to 40 in the list of declared runners, while the Nicky Henderson-trained Iris Royal is rated 131 and is 41st best.

Three horses have 10st 5lb. Of those, the Sue Smith-trained Ross Comm has today been given a rating of 145, placing him 42nd, above J P McManus’ cross-country specialist Spot Thedifference (136) and Shotgun Willy (125).

A pair of previous John Smith’s Grand National finishers are on 10st 4lb. Just In Debt (133), ninth in the race last year, moves above the Martin Pipe-trained 2004 third-place finisher Lord Atterbury (130), as they become 45 and 46 in the list, respectively.

Hakim, Liberthine and Knife Edge have 10st 2lb. Today’s ratings place Liberthine 47th best on 130, ahead of November’s totepool Grand Sefton Chase winner Hakim (125) and Knife Edge (120).

50th in the order is Nick Williams’ dour stayer Philson Run (138) who shares 10st 1lb with three others.

John Smith’s Grand National runners in racecard order from 38-55, with age/weight, trainer and revised BHB rating:

38) RISK ACCESSOR 11-10-06 Jonjo O’Neill 136
39) DIRECT ACCESS 11-10-06 Nicky Richards 136
40) COLNEL RAYBURN 10-10-06 Paul Nolan IRE 136
41) IRIS ROYAL 10-10-06 Nicky Henderson 131
42) ROSS COMM 10-10-05 Sue Smith 145
43) SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 13-10-05 Enda Bolger IRE 136
44) SHOTGUN WILLY 12-10-05 Richard Guest 125
45) JUST IN DEBT 10-10-04 Martin Todhunter 133
46) LORD ATTERBURY 10-10-04 Martin Pipe 130
47) LIBERTHINE 7-10-02 Nicky Henderson 130
48) HAKIM 12-10-02 John Spearing 125
49) KNIFE EDGE 11-10-02 Jonjo O’Neill 120
50) PHILSON RUN 10-10-01 Nick Williams 138
51) MONTAYRAL 9-10-01 Pat Hughes IRE 131
52) CONTROL MAN 8-10-01 Martin Pipe 130
53) WAIN MOUNTAN 10-10-01 Jim Old 127
54) THE LAST CAST 7-10-00 Evan Williams 130
55) WINDSOR BOY 9-10-00 Martin Pipe 130



A Duke and a King
Chase a Charity Million

If Le Duc or Le Roi Miguel wins this Saturday’s John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree, it will trigger a million-pound pay day for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children after an audacious wager by the owners ‘for a day’, Pop Idol originator Simon Cowell, BHS (British Home Stores) owner Philip Green and Marks and Spencers chief executive Stuart Rose.

Cowell, Green and Rose have already made a handsome contribution to the children’s charity, having bid for the ownership of Le Duc at a lavish party in St Petersburg, Russia last November, hosted by clothing millionaire Richard Caring.

Their bid for the horse, of £400,000, was so generous that the owner of Le Duc, Andy Stewart, threw in his second horse in the Grand National as well. Le Roi Miguel will, like Le Duc, race in the colours of Cowell, Green and Rose.

The stakes were raised even higher when bookmaker Fred Done accepted the offer from the temporary owners for a £65,000 wager which would guarantee £1 million should either of the two horses win the John Smith’s Grand National, with £250,000 for a second place, £100,000 for a third place and £50,000 for a fourth place - all winnings going to the NSPCC.

The best possible result for the charity is that the two Paul Nicholls trained horses finish first and second, in which case the NSPCC would gain £1.25 million to the £400,000 already raised.

“Nobody can lose as far as this is concerned,” said Stewart, who has also helped to raise a substantial amount for a second kids’ charity, Save The Children Fund.

Hedgehunter
at Aintree on Wednesday


Hedgehunter, winner of last year’s John Smith’s Grand National, is scheduled to arrive at Aintree on Wednesday. The horse is due to leave Willie Mullins’ stable at County Carlow in the early morning and travel across by boat. Hedgehunter is currently vying with Jonjo O’Neil’s Clan Royal for favouritism in Saturday’s £700,000 event.

Numbersixvalverde will also be setting out for Aintree from County Kildare tomorrow with trainer Martin Brassil hoping to catch the 4pm boat which would bring them into Aintree later in the evening.

Ned Mitchell too is leaving his Kilmallock stables in County Limerick on Wednesday with the well-fancied Garvivonnian, though the journey could be an eventful one. “The horse has to be boxed on his own. There’d be nothing left of the horsebox if we put another one in with him,” said Mitchell. The horsebox will be driven by Garvivonnian’s owner John Long.

Ted Walsh, who won the Grand National with Papillon, will not bring Rince Ri and Jack High over from his stables at Kill, near Naas, until Thursday.

Francois Doumen will stable his two runners (Innox and First Gold) at nearby Haydock Park, and they are set to arrive from his French base on Thursday.

Most of the English contingent will not arrive at the racecourse till later in the week, with trainers like Paul Nicholls (Royal Auclair, Cornish Rebel, Le Roi Miguel, Eurotrek, Silver Birch, Le Duc and Heros Collonges) and Nicky Henderson (Juveigneur and Iris Royal) bringing their big-race contenders to Aintree on Friday.

Jonjo O’Neill (Clan Royal, Risk Accessor and maybe Knife Edge) and Martin Pipe (Therealbandit, It Takes Time, Whispered Secret, Puntal and Iznogoud) will not stay overnight, sending their horses up on the day.

For this year’s Aintree meeting, the stable manager Derek Thompson has 190 boxes at his disposal and between now and the John Smith’s Grand National on Saturday Thompson expects to be working all hours. “There’s always an empty box, though, if I do need a quick nap,” he said.

Heros Collonges
a Peake Purchase

Heros Collonges, eighth in last year’s John Smith’s Grand National, will be the first-ever runner for Andy Peake in the National, after the Haydock businessman bought the horse from John Hales for an undisclosed fee.

“The plan was hatched in the parade ring at Cheltenham and the bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley of Highflyer negotiated the deal. I’ve never actually met John Hales, who sold us the horse, but I’m really grateful that he gave us the opportunity to have a runner in the race,” said Peake, whose best-known horse is the chaser Colourful Life, also trained by Paul Nicholls.

Heros Collonges will not run in Peake’s own colours, but will become the first horse to carry the colours of Merchant Rentals, a company he set up in 2002, which leases Chip ‘n Pin terminals. “The blue chevron and sleeves on a grey background represent the ‘M’ of Merchant,” said Peake

Peake’s two companies - UK Hygiene is the second - have around 15,000 customers so there will be plenty of potential interest in the horse’s running on Saturday.

The new owner has managed to find a last-minute hospitality box at Aintree to share, for a few of his most important customers, and can rest assured that the weather can’t ruin the great day: “It doesn’t matter if the rain comes or if it doesn’t, the horse goes on anything from good to heavy. For us, it just about the horse getting round, that would be mission accomplished,” he said.

Peake won’t be backing his new acquisition, though. “I’m a failed gambler, being level was the best I ever did, so I don’t bother anymore,” he said.

LATEST GROUND

Aintree Ground (at 4pm on Tuesday, April 4, 2006)

The going has changed to

Grand National: Good to soft, good in places - going stick 6.3

Mildmay: Good, good to soft in places - going stick 6.5

Hurdle: Good, good to soft in places - going stick 6.5

Forecast: Wednesday - bright until becoming cloudy in the afternoon with the possibility of drizzle overnight; Thursday - mostly cloudy with the possibility of light rain; Friday - dry and bright start.

Andrew Tulloch, Aintree’s clerk of the course, said this afternoon: “We have had a drying day with no rain - sunny and breezy. I have changed the going descriptions on all courses.”

The Best Ever Parade Of Champions

The magnificent Party Politics, the 1992 Grand National winner and one of the tallest horses to win the race, will head the largest-ever Parade of Champions at Aintree on Saturday. Eight Grand National champions will take part.

With two winners - Hedgehunter and Amberleigh House - running in the John Smith’s Grand National itself, this means there will be 10 champions gracing proceedings at Aintree on Saturday.

The parade will take place in the paddock at 11.45am and on the course in front of the stands at 1.15pm prior to the first race. The champions are:

Party Politics: won in 1992, ridden by Carl Llewellyn and trained by Nick Gaselee;
also finished second in 1995, stood almost 18 hands tall.

Miinnehoma: won in 1994, ridden by Richard Dunwoody and trained by Martin Pipe;
owner Freddie Starr stayed away, superstitious that the horse would not win if he was at Aintree.

Rough Quest: won in 1996, ridden by Mick Fitzgerald and trained by Terry Casey; one of three favourites in the last 10 years to win the Grand National.

Lord Gyllene: won in 1997, ridden by Tony Dobbin and trained by Steve Brookshaw; the New Zealand-bred horse ran only 13 races in the UK, and the Grand National just once.

Papillon: won in 2000, ridden by Ruby Walsh and trained by his father Ted; subject of one of the biggest Grand National gambles ever, backed down from 33/1 to 10/1 on the day of the race.

Red Marauder: won in 2001, ridden by Richard Guest and trained by Norman Mason; only four horses finished the race, run in very heavy going.

Bindaree: won in 2002, ridden by Jim Culloty and trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies; the trainer putting his retirement on hold after a memorable victory.

Monty’s Pass: won in 2003, ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Jimmy Mangan; was the third Irish winner of the Grand National in five years.

THE JOHN SMITH'S GRAND NATIONAL FIVE-DAY DECS
REVISED ORDER OF ELIMINATIONS
Class 1, Grade 3, Handicap Chase, Total Prize Fund £700,000. 4.15pm, Aintree, Saturday, April 8, 2006. Four miles & four furlongs (over the Grand National course). For 6-y-o and upwards which are allotted a rating of 110 or more by the Senior BHB NH Handicapper following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including February 12. Horses, which are not qualified for a rating in Great Britain or Ireland at February 1, may also be entered. Such horses may be eligible for a weight providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse's racecourse performances to February 6 would merit a minimum rating of 110. To qualify horses must have run at least three times in Steeple Chases run under the Rules of Racing of the same Recognised Turf Authority up to and including February 12. At the Handicapper's discretion such horses may be allocated a rating. The decision of the Senior BHB NH Handicapper shall be final. Entries closed February 1, entries revealed February 2 (148 entries), weights revealed February 14, first forfeit stage February 28 (122 remain), second forfeit stage March 21 (96 remain), five-day confirmation stage April 3 (84 remain), final declaration stage, 10.00am, April 6. Maximum of 40 runners allowed. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Sunday, April 2. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Age/Wgt Owner Trainer/Jockey
1) 42F-51520 ROYAL AUCLAIR (FR) 9-11-12 Clive Smith Paul Nicholls/Christian Williams
2) 0611-0422 HEDGEHUNTER (IRE) 10-11-12 Trevor Hemmings Willie Mullins IRE/Ruby Walsh
3) 1332-330 CORNISH REBEL (IRE) 9-11-09 Graham Roach Paul Nicholls/Joe Tizzard
4) 330-001 THEREALBANDIT (IRE) 9-11-09 David Johnson Martin Pipe/Richard Johnson
5) 1042-404 IT TAKES TIME (IRE) 12-11-08 David Johnson Martin Pipe/Timmy Murphy
6) 225-5000 LE ROI MIGUEL (FR) 8-11-07 Green/Rose/Cowell Paul Nicholls/Liam Heard
7) U12-10640 OLLIE MAGERN 8-11-06 Roger Nicholls Nigel Twiston-Davies/Carl Llewellyn
8) 2///1P-411P EUROTREK (IRE) 10-11-04 Paul Green Paul Nicholls/Paddy Brennan
9) 3P-PPF230 SIR REMBRANDT (IRE) 10-11-01 Alan Hordle Robert Alner/Andrew Thornton
10) 1-340253 NATIVE UPMANSHIP (IRE) 13-11-00 Sue Magnier Arthur Moore IRE/Conor O’Dwyer
11) F1-404436 GROUND BALL (IRE) 9-10-13 J P McManus Charlie Swan IRE
12) 0210-011 INNOX (FR) 10-10-13 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR/Robert Thornton
13) P/111-4PP SILVER BIRCH (IRE) 9-10-12 Paul Barber & Des Nichols Paul Nicholls/Sam Thomas
14) 3112140 WHISPERED SECRET (GER) 7-10-12 David Manasseh & Dan Levine Martin Pipe/Rodi Greene
15) 65-04504 RINCE RI (IRE) 13-10-12 Frank Moriarty Ted Walsh IRE/Andrew McNamara
16) 5UU1/60- PUNTAL (FR) 10-10-12 Terry Neill Martin Pipe/Barry Geraghty
17) 111-P020 LORD OF ILLUSION (IRE) 9-10-11 Patrick Kennedy Tom George/Jason Maguire
18) 1401F10 EBONY LIGHT (IRE) 10-10-10 Roger Bellamy Ginger McCain/Stephen Craine
19) 2P2-5PUP FIRST GOLD (FR) 13-10-10 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR/Richard McGrath
20) 12/4C-531 CLAN ROYAL (FR) 11-10-10 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill/Tony McCoy
21) 330-02U LE DUC (FR) 7-10-10 Green/Rose/Cowell Paul Nicholls/Jamie Moore
22) 504-6511F SIR OJ (IRE) 9-10-10 Brian Keenan Noel Meade IRE/Paul Carberry
23) 115-UPP FOREST GUNNER 12-10-10 John Gilsenan Richard Ford/Miss Nina Carberry
24) 1-2U0440 JOES EDGE (IRE) 9-10-10 Chemipetro Limited Ferdy Murphy/Davy Russell
25) 22102-FP2 JUVEIGNEUR (FR) 9-10-09 Trevor Hemmings Nicky Henderson/Mick Fitzgerald
26) 400-P5000 AMBERLEIGH HOUSE (IRE) 14-10-09 Halewood International Ltd Ginger McCain/Graham Lee
27) 113050350 BALLYCASSIDY (IRE) 10-10-09 Roddy Owen & P Fullagar Peter Bowen/Leighton Aspell
28) 10-561511 INCA TRAIL (IRE) 10-10-09 Halewood International Ltd Ginger McCain/Brian Harding
29) 0065132 GARVIVONNIAN (IRE) 11-10-08 Angela Long Ned Mitchell IRE/Garrett Cotter
30) 1-504B443 NUMBERSIXVALVERDE (IRE) 10-10-08 Bernard Carroll Martin Brassil IRE/Niall Madden
31 F6/0200-00 IZNOGOUD (FR) 10-10-08 The County Stores & Avalon Surfacing Martin Pipe/Tom Scudamore
32) 1-3045351 JACK HIGH (IRE) 11-10-07 Brenda Ross Ted Walsh IRE/David Casey
33) 2-253615 HAUT DE GAMME (FR) 11-10-07 The Haut De Gamme Partnership Ferdy Murphy/Keith Mercer
34) 416-00P42 NIL DESPERANDUM (IRE) 9-10-07 Mike Shone Frances Crowley IRE/Tommy Treacy
35) 16216-P4P BARON WINDRUSH 8-10-07 The Double Octagon Partnership Nigel Twiston-Davies/Anthony Evans
36) 51P0-624 HEROS COLLONGES (FR) 11-10-07 Merchant Rentals Plc Paul Nicholls/J P McNamara
37) 101PP/-64 TYNEANDTHYNEAGAIN 11-10-07 Howard Johnson Howard Johnson/Peter Buchanan
38) U-2P62SR5 RISK ACCESSOR (IRE) 11-10-06 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill/Noel Fehily
39) P4/14-F1 DIRECT ACCESS (IRE) 11-10-06 The Direct Access Partnership Nicky Richards/Tony Dobbin
40) 235P-255 COLNEL RAYBURN (IRE) 10-10-06 Thatch (Ferns) Racing Syndicate Paul Nolan IRE/John Cullen

41) 11P2/-60F5 IRIS ROYAL (FR) 10-10-06 Sir Robert Ogden Nicky Henderson/Marcus Foley
42) 21411F31 ROSS COMM 10-10-05 Kevin Treanor Sue Smith/Dominic Elsworth
43) 10-010062 SPOT THEDIFFERENCE (IRE) 13-10-05 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE/Mr J T McNamara
44) 1P5//0PP- SHOTGUN WILLY (IRE) 12-10-05 Paul Beck Richard Guest
45) P0-0P360 JUST IN DEBT (IRE) 10-10-04 Bill Hazeldean Martin Todhunter/Alan Dempsey
46) 1P3/44F-P4 LORD ATTERBURY (IRE) 10-10-04 David Johnson Martin Pipe
47) 410-0U50 LIBERTHINE (FR) 7-10-02 Robert Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson
48) 111122 HAKIM (NZ) 12-10-02 T N Siviter John Spearing
49) 3PP-4215 KNIFE EDGE (USA) 11-10-02 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
50) 0-0FP21P PHILSON RUN (IRE) 10-10-01 Gale Force One Nick Williams
51) 3/P-5050 MONTAYRAL (FR) 9-10-01 T Mannion Pat Hughes IRE
52) PP-30U30 CONTROL MAN (IRE) 8-10-01 David Johnson Martin Pipe
53) P0-625154 WAIN MOUNTAIN 10-10-01 Bill Smith and Mick Dudley Jim Old
54) 0/41200-0 THE LAST CAST 7-10-00 David Barrie Evan Williams
55) 11F-3F135 WINDSOR BOY (IRE) 9-10-00 Byrne Bros (Formwork) Ltd Martin Pipe
56) 5111111 DUN DOIRE (IRE) 7-9-13 Dunderry Racing Syndicate Tony Martin IRE
57) 56-46313P KORELO (FR) 8-9-13 David Johnson Martin Pipe
58) 21F1215P DUNBRODY MILLAR (IRE) 8-9-12 Dundon Else Partnership Peter Bowen
59) 64-22340 LOU DU MOULIN MAS (FR) 7-9-12 The Eight Amigos Racing Syndicate Paul Nicholls
60) 0-3FB124 BE MY BETTER HALF (IRE) 11-9-11 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
61) 12-P32P WRAGS TO RICHES (IRE) 9-9-11 No Illusions Partnership Jimmy Frost
62)4-23F0PP HALEXY (FR) 11-9-11 Sir Robert Ogden Martin Todhunter
63) 220-46P4 SUPREME DEVELOPER (IRE) 9-9-11 Mrs A N Durkan Ferdy Murphy/Tom Dreaper
64) 421111P3 WHAT A NATIVE (IRE) 10-9-10 M McKeon Charlie Swan IRE
65) 0006-P0U POLAR RED 9-9-10 Lady Clarke Martin Pipe
66) 50-60006 POINT BARROW (IRE) 8-9-10 Mrs P Clune Hughes Pat Hughes IRE
67) U-1411F6 DEAD-EYED DICK (IRE) 10-9-10 Jane Williams Nick Williams
68) 411P4P DANGEROUSDANMAGRU (IRE) 10-9-09 Noel Glynn Alan Jones
69) 22U-30 DESAILLY 12-9-09 The Team Jonathan Geake
70) 0-P2F0663 STRONG RESOLVE (IRE) 10-9-07 Fair City Flyers Lucinda Russell
71) 20P0-PPP TURNIUM (FR) 11-9-06 Fergus Wilson Phillippe Cottin FR
72) 142P22PP BRAVE SPIRIT (FR) 8-9-06 The Con Club Colin Tizzard
73) P00P-FP0 ASTONVILLE (FR) 12-9-04 Fergus Wilson Phillippe Cottin FR
74) 266-126023 MIOCHE D'ESTRUVAL (FR) 6-9-04 Joe Moran Martin Pipe
75) 0U-05P3P WORLD WIDE WEB (IRE) 10-9-04 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
76) 40224-F KING ON THE RUN (IRE) 13-9-03 Lady Harris Venetia Williams
77) 232-31140 MRS BE (IRE) 10-9-02 J H Burbidge Grant Cann
78) 1/223/-110 DROMBEAG (IRE) 8-9-02 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
79) U624P5 FIORI 10-9-02 Wilson Imports I Patrick Haslam
80) 56PF-P0 PRESENT BLEU (FR) 11-9-00 Judith Wilson Martin Pipe
81) 464/U06//- OA BALDIXE (FR) 12-8-10 Kahlil Burke Kahlil Burke/Sean Curran
82) 312004 TOTHEROADYOUVGONE 12-8-10 Noel Glynn Alan Jones
83) 33051000 CASSIA HEIGHTS 11-8-10 B Ridge & D Hewitt Steve Brookshaw
84) 6-344200P PAPILLON DE IENA (FR) 6-8-10 Dakit Partnership Martin Pipe

84 entries after the five-day stage
15 Irish-trained
4 French-trained


To win the Johns Smith’s Grand National - Betfair bet: 7.2 Hedgehunter, 7.4 Clan Royal, 13 Numbersixvalverde, 16.5 Innox, 17.5 Jack High, Sir Rembrandt, 20 Garvivonnian, 25 Ross Comm,, 27 Joes Edge, 32 Cornish Rebel, 34 Dun Doire, 36 Silver Birch, 36 Lord Of Illusion, 38 Direct Access, 38 Haut de Gamme 40 Royal Auclair, Juveigneur, 46 Nil Desperandum, 48 Colnel Rayburn, 50 Eurotrek, 55 Sir Oj, 70 Le Duc, Inca Trail, 80 Ebony Light, 90 Heros Collonges, 100 Therealbandit, Forest Gunner, 160 Amberleigh House, others bigger

Prices as at 4pm, April 4, 2006

For further information, please contact Nigel Payne, Press Officer, on 01895 444407 or 07768 025265, or Dickon White, Commercial Director, on 0151 522 2915 or 07798 928924

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