Early Grand National 2020 News
Rocky’s Biggest Fight Yet
Trainer Kim Bailey, who saddled Mr Frisk to win the 1990 Grand National, is plotting another path back to the Aintree showpiece, this time with his eight-year-old Rocky’s Treasure.
Bailey, who recently trained The Last Samuri to finish second in the Grand National in 2016, is very excited about have another possible Aintree contender on his hands.
“Rocky’s Treasure is being aimed at the Becher Chase and he may have a run before that at Cheltenham’s first meeting.
“He had a very good season last year and although he did all of his winning on good ground, he ran one of his best races on soft ground when finishing second behind Santini at Newbury in the G2 John Francome Novices’ Chase.
“We always felt he might be a Grand National horse, but we will take in the Becher Chase first and that will tell us one way or another.
“Cheltenham would seem like a good starting point and we are looking forward to getting his season started.”
Rocky’s Treasure was a four time winner over fences last season, including being a wide-margin scorer the December Novices’ Chase over three miles at Doncaster. His last run was at Cheltenham in April, when he took the runner-up spot behind Cobra De Mai in a handicap chase over three and a quarter miles.
At the time of writing Rocky’s Treasure is available at odds of 33/1 with Betfred.
Cloud Busting
The popular Sue Smith-trained grey Vintage Clouds, who despite being well fancied for last year’s National, unceremoniously took a first fence tumble, will again be campaigned with another tilt at the Aintree marathon being their primary objective.
“He jumped the first fence at Aintree too well and came down steeply,” said Cook, who partnered the nine-year-old in a racecourse gallop with stablemate Sharp Response at Wetherby this week.
“The plan is to run him in the Becher Chase in November to get some experience of the fences, before another attempt at the Grand National.”
Vintage Clouds was turned out quickly for the Scottish equivalent at Ayr last season going off the race favourite, but he could only manage sixth place.
If you fancy Vintage Clouds to fare much better on Merseyside next April then he’s a general 40/1 poke in the betting village.
Irish Rover
She’s currently not even quoted in the Grand National market yet but County Mayo owner/breeder Robert Hennelly believes that Moyhenna could be a Grand National type.
Speaking to the Irish Field newspaper, Hennelly said of his mare: “Moyhenna could be a Grand National horse. She is big, genuine, and easy to deal with and she travels really well.”
Trained by Denis Hogan, the seven-year-old could quite easily have been put away to continue her owner’s blood line after scoring by a massive 25-lengths at Limerick last March, but she returned to run and win at the Punchestown Festival.
Moyhenna is back in training this season so watch this space. We may well be asking the bookmakers to add her to the Grand National betting at some point?
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