Dessie Hughes is one of Ireland’s most established and skilled trainers, who has had consistent success with numerous horses over the years, most notably with Hardy Eustace. A successful jockey in his own right, he won the 1977 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Davy Lad and he also beat Sea Pigeon, riding Monksfield in his most famous victory in the Champion Hurdle.

In 1980 he took out his own training licence and had early success with Light The Wad who won the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in 1982 and the 1981 and 1982 renewals of the Drogheda Chase at Punchestown. And in 1982 had a coveted Cheltenham victory with Miller Hill in the Supreme Novice Hurdle.

In 2001 Hughes bought Hardy Eustace for IR£21,000 and Central House for IR£28,000, who went on to win a total of twenty-five races between them, including nine Grade Ones. Hardy Eustace in particular proved to be a consistent hurdler who was particularly forthcoming at Cheltenham and has already earned over €1million in his career.

Hughes bought Schindlers Hunt at the same place as Hardly Eustace and Central House for €28,000, and he has already won the Grade One Durkan New Homes Novice Chase at Lepordstown and the Baileys Irish Arkle just one month later. He went on to win the 2008 renewal of the Dan Moore Handicap Chase and the the 2009 Leopardstown Handicap Chase before going on to be Grade One placed at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown.

Dessie Hughes also trains Black Apalachi who has recently stunned his trainer by becoming one of the Grand National favourites following a superb victory in the Becher Chase last November. Hughes was surprised as the horse had started off well in his career but had taken a bit of a downturn. He is now well back on track, so it may prove to be third time lucky for the gelding.

Hughes also has another Grand National 2010 hopeful in Vic Venturi who, after stealing the show at the Beechers Chase in November 2009, and at just nine years of age, is in his prime for this kind of race. Again, he was not on top form for the past couple of years but the latter half of 2009 has shown his true potential with two wins and a second from three starts.

Overall Hughes’ chances of success at two of the biggest meetings in the racing calender are looking promising! To have a bet on either of these horses winning the 2010 Grand National go to Paddy Power Bookmakers!

When multi-millionaire racehorse owner Graham Wylie paid 200,000 guineas for Abbeybraney at public auction in November 2008, he bought the horse specifically with the John Smith’s Grand National in mind, writes Elliot Slater.

A classy performer in his native Ireland, Abbeybraney had only narrowly failed to beat the smart Notre Pere in a Grade 1 event at Leopardstown and made a good start this side of the Irish Sea when chasing home Barbers Shop in a listed contest at Sandown.

Johnston’s gelding was then installed as one of the market leaders for the Welsh Grand National, but sadly the 10-year-old suffered a setback the week before the contest and was out of action for 11 months until returning to run a good third to the useful Weapons Amnesty at Newcastle in November. His subsequent success at Hexham at least showed that he remains sound and could be on the way back to recovering his best form.

Although capable of handling very soft ground, Abbeybraney is probably one of the better Grand National Horses on a decent surface and the prospect of a dry spell leading up to the Aintree meeting in April must enhance his chances of getting involved. A bigger challenge will be to first make the cut for the marathon spectacular as off an allocated weight of 10st 5lbs he appears to be in some danger of being left on the sidelines, needing at least 20 horses above him in the list to be withdrawn before the final declaration stage.

A thorough stayer, Abbeybraney is reportedly pleasing connections in his build up towards a tilt at the Aintree showpiece and could well warm up with a crack at the marathon National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. A good show at Prestbury Park could see his current Aintree Grand National Betting odds of 66/1 being slashed, but there will remain a doubt until only days before the event as to whether or not he will be granted a place in the Grand National starting line-up.

When the John Smith’s Grand National weights were made public in mid-February trainer Mouse Morris’s reaction was one of barely disguised disgust and he made it clear that the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was a very doubtful runner, writes Elliot Slater.

I’m sure we have all said things in the heat of the moment that we regret later, and it does appear that Morris is beginning to have second thoughts on the matter. The fact that the majority of firms have re-introduced the in-form veteran into their 2010 Grand National Prices lists at around 20/1, suggests that the vibes emanating from County Tipperary are growing more positive by the day.

It would be great for the Grand National itself if the former Gold Cup winner were to take his chance. Having been counted out as a light of former days, the 11-year-old has come back to form with a vengeance this term since being switched to hurdles, winning two Grade 2 events in recent starts and showing tremendous zest for a fight. A crack at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle could well be a warm-up for a tilt at the Aintree marathon, where even with 11st 1lbs, the gelding could be very competitive if he stays (despite his trainer’s protestations).

In 32 starts under rules War Of Attrition has never fallen, and as well as the Gold Cup, has won six other graded races, including the Grade 1 Swordlestown Novices Chase and the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup. His career prize money already exceeds a superb £700,000.

Having spent much of the season running over timber to rekindle his enthusiasm, the unique challenge of the Grand National weather fences could easily spark a similarly successful reaction from a horse who has proven time and again that he really is a star performer.

Despite the much voiced frustration of Mouse Morris when the weights for the 2010 Grand National were declared on Feb 16th, the prolific trainer has not yet removed his only entry, War of Attrition, from the big race.

The deadline for the first official scratchings for the race was on march 2nd and it transpired that War of Attrition was not withdrawn which came as a surprise to many including the bookmakers who had previously removed him from their ante-post odds offerings.

With War still in contention it left 98 still in the running as 13 were withdrawn including Irish Invader, Beroni, One Cool Cookie, Kilcrea Castle, Darkness, Siegemaster and Taranis, who was reported lame on Wednesday. There were no real shocks and very little has changed ante-post as all of the favourites are still on to run the race on Saturday April 10th.

The next date for scratchings is March 22nd at which time Morris will have had longer to consider what is best for War of Attrition and despite his allocated weight of 11-01 he may still be in with a very good chance on the day. Paddy Power currently have him at odds of 16/1 putting him as eighth favourite to win so maybe it’s worth the gamble to keep him in!

Big Fella Thanks was always an ante-post favourite with the bookies for the 2010 Grand National but after his winning performance today at Newbury, in the Raymond Mould Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase, where he romped home, he has now trumped Tricky Trickster with Paddy Power to become the 8/1 horse to beat on April 10th.

Speculation has been rife as to whether or not Paul Nicholls can finally win a Grand National and his hopes seem to have originally been pinned on Tricky Trickster but this afternoon, stable mate Big Fella Thanks proved his weight in gold when he pipped another stable mate, Pasco with Ruby Walsh, to the winning post with Barry Geraghty on board.

Walsh had looked very comfortable and confident on Pasco but not as much as Geraghty on Big Fella Thanks, who started the race 8/1 odds, as he shot passed and took a narrow lead after Pasco pecked on landing after the third last.

This win was considered a warm-up for Big Fella Thanks and even Nicholls was surprised that he had won having admitted after the race that he had expected Pasco to bring home the win. He has since confirmed that both horses will be going to Aintree – BFT in the National and Pasco in the Topham.

With Nicholls now sitting on the first and second ante-post favourites for the Grand National it would appear that almost nothing can stop his current winning streak but the Grand National is a notoriously difficult race and anything can, and usually does, happen on the day!

Things are really hotting up for 2010 Grand National, now the Cheltenham Festival is over all eye’s turn to Aintree for this years big race on April 10th. And luckily for us things are really moving along with all entries and weights now declared for the race.

Generally the final line-up of 40 horses are based on the weights from the heaviest down so horses that have weighted particularly low are very unlikely to run on the day. The odds below are currently the best prices you can find for that horse with major UK Bookmakers.

There’s going to be a string of new young guns trying for the much coveted title on April 10th but don’t dismiss the old faithfuls who are still capable of causing a major upset – Comply or Die anyone??

Odds are change all the time but they have been pretty consistent with who they think is really in contention but anything can happen between now and Saturday April 10th so make sure you don’t take too many ante-post risks!

A Standard Example Of Ante Post Rules: All racing ante-post bets are accepted and settled on a Rules of Racing basis only. Ante-post bets are accepted at quoted prices, up to and including the day prior to the event, on the basis of all in, run or not, entered or not . Therefore selections not taking part in the race/event concerned are losers. Ante-post bets are those placed at our quoted prices on horses and prior to the race becoming classed as ‘Day of Event’ (Day of event is a term used to describe the time at which overnight declarations are made, usually 10am on the day preceding the race (or two days for certain Group 1 races) for horse racing and the day of the race for greyhounds). All bets placed after the overnight declaration stage are settled in accordance with our Early Prices/Day of Race Rules.

Please check before you bet ante post with your bookmaker regarding the ‘rules & clauses’ all bookmakers are different.

The day we’ve all been waiting for since the entries were announced is finally here and yes, the weights have now been declared giving us all a better picture of the potential line up for the Grand National 2010 on April 10th.

There were some surprises, not least of which is the fact that three horses tie for top weight, and even more surprising is the horses themselves – Albertas Run, Madison Du Berlais and Notre Pere are all on 11st 10lbs. I’m not suggesting that these horses don’t have what it takes to win the Grand National but let’s be fair, there are definitely horses in contention who are more likely to give a better run on the day so handicapping these three at the highest level seems a little unusual…

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t even consider backing a horse that weighted more than 11st 3lbs, at the absolute most, but this year that would rule out Tricky Trickster (11st 4lbs), Niche Market (11st 4lbs) and Black Apalachi (11lbs 6lbs) who are all worth serious look.

The Top 50 list of weights is available below and odds on all of the horses are available from Paddy Power Bookmakers.

1) 03-P136 ALBERTAS RUN (IRE) 9-11-10 Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O’Neill

2) 101-324 MADISON DU BERLAIS (FR) 9-11-10 Roger Stanley & Yvonne Reynolds II David Pipe

3) 12-1F544 NOTRE PERE (FR) 9-11-10 Tilly Conway Jim Dreaper IRE

4) 12/14P/-1 TARANIS (FR) 9-11-09 Angela Yeoman Paul Nicholls

5) 4-61r01 OUR VIC (IRE) 12-11-08 David Johnson David Pipe

6) 001-P34 MON MOME (FR) 10-11-07 Vida Bingham Venetia Williams

7) P151U-0 BLACK APALACHI (IRE) 11-11-06 Gerard Burke Dessie Hughes IRE

8 ) 15-5003 JOE LIVELY (IRE) 11-11-06 Richard Dimond Colin Tizzard

9) 0-21150 VIC VENTURI (IRE) 10-11-06 James Dunne Dessie Hughes IRE

10) 1/P002-0 COMPLY OR DIE (IRE) 11-11-05 David Johnson David Pipe

11) 201-423 DON’T PUSH IT (IRE) 10-11-05 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill

12) 231110- IRISH INVADER (IRE) 9-11-05 Sackcloth & Ashes Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE

13) 43-3U240 MADE IN TAIPAN (IRE) 8-11-04 Frances Duffin/Sean Corby Tom Mullins IRE

14) 401-0352 NICHE MARKET (IRE) 9-11-04 Graham Regan Bob Buckler

15) 22121-21 TRICKY TRICKSTER (IRE) 7-11-04 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls

16) P15P-14 CASEY JONES (IRE) 9-11-03 Gillian Burke Noel Meade IRE

17) 31FU-36 CLOUDY LANE 10-11-03 Trevor Hemmings Donald McCain Jnr

18) PUPP/-21 DREAM ALLIANCE 9-11-03 The Alliance Partnership Philip Hobbs

19) 1P00-60 NOZIC (FR) 9-11-03 Sam Mcvie Paul Nicholls

20) 3201-11 POSSOL (FR) 7-11-03 Neville Statham Henry Daly

21) F3-13233 SIEGEMASTER (IRE) 9-11-03 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE

22) 553-205 MY WILL (FR) 10-11-02 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls

23) 3606-4F PABLO DU CHARMIL (FR) 9-11-02 Joe Moran David Pipe

24) r-04205 ONE COOL COOKIE (IRE) 9-11-01 Gigginstown House Stud Charlie Swan IRE

25) P230411 WAR OF ATTRITION (IRE) 11-11-01 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE

26) 0112313 BACKSTAGE (FR) 8-11-00 MPR & Capranny Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE

27) P6-5111 BALLYHOLLAND (IRE) 9-11-00 Cathal McGovern Colin McBratney IRE

28) FP-1P1P BEAT THE BOYS (IRE) 9-11-00 New Club Ladies Nigel Twiston-Davies

29) 100-000 PREISTS LEAP (IRE) 10-11-00 John O’Donohue/Tom O’Leary Tom O’Leary IRE

30) 212//U1-2(1)(1) ROULEZ COOL 7-11-00 Robert Waley-Cohen Robert Waley-Cohen

31) 5-31110 BERONI (IRE) 8-10-13 Margaret O’Rourke Willie Mullins IRE

32) 314F-01 CAN’T BUY TIME (IRE) 8-10-13 J P McManus Jonjo O’Neill

33) 1P1-0131 LE BEAU BAI (FR) 7-10-13 Glass Half Full Richard Lee

34) 11411P SEVEN IS MY NUMBER (IRE) 8-10-13 David Johnson David Pipe

35) 110322 SNOWY MORNING (IRE) 10-10-13 Quayside Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE

36) 22506-P3 AIR FORCE ONE (GER) 8-10-12 Brian Walsh (Co. Kildare) Charlie Mann

37) 2U136-2U BIG FELLA THANKS 8-10-12 Maggie Findlay & Paul Barber Paul Nicholls

38) 3P///3P10- DARKNESS 11-10-12 Lady Lloyd-Webber Charles Egerton

39) 113-412 DEUTSCHLAND (USA) 7-10-12 Allan McLuckie Willie Mullins IRE

40) 4/2D133- LOUPING D’AINAY (FR) 11-10-12 Jean-Paul Senechal Francois Cottin FR

41) 143301-0 CHARACTER BUILDING (IRE) 10-10-11 Mrs E Wright John Quinn

42) F0-5260 CHELSEA HARBOUR (IRE) 10-10-11 Frances Duffin/Sean Corby Tom Mullins IRE

43) 02U-301 DOONEYS GATE (IRE) 9-10-11 Thomas Gilligan Willie Mullins IRE

44) P2-205P0 GONE TO LUNCH (IRE) 10-10-11 Gary Lever Jeremy Scott

45) 4116-6P KORNATI KID 8-10-11 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs

46) 60/144-P STATE OF PLAY 10-10-11 William & Angela Rucker Evan Williams

47) 00-1210 ELLERSLIE GEORGE (IRE) 10-10-10 Guy Henderson Nick Mitchell

48) 112130- FOLLOW THE PLAN (IRE) 7-10-10 Cavan Developments Bloodstock Oliver McKiernan IRE

49) 45-1552 JAYO (FR) 7-10-10 Peter Garvey Willie Mullins IRE

50) 11U36U ROYAL COUNTY STAR (IRE) 11-10-10 Dunsany Racing Syndicate Tony Martin IRE

With the closing date for Grand National 2010 entries fast approaching, trainers are now having to make the tough decisions as to whether or not they plan to enter their horses into the big race which takes place on April 10th 2010 at Aintree.

Trainer Charlie Longsdon has already decided that Palypso De Creek will be given an entry in a bid for the biggest success of his career. The seven-year-old is already familiar with the Grand National course at Aintree from his participation in the Totesport Becher Chase in November when he finished in fourth place.

More recently he finished second at Haydock on Jan 23rd from a field of 12 when he was paired with Tom Siddall so overall things are looking pretty promising for the young horse.

Longsdon said “We are very pleased with his Haydock run at the weekend…We will enter him in races like the William Hill Chase and the Kim Muir, but it is too early to say for certain where he will run.”

Ante-post odds are available with Betfair but just bare in mind that the Grand National is still a long way away in terms of horse racing and the entry date hasn’t even closed yet so you may lose your stake if you bet on a horse that ultimately does not run on the day.

Air Force One hasn’t raced competitively since April 2009, when he ran at Punchestown but trainer Charlie Mann has decided to take a chance on him for the 2010 Grand National following a positive and pleasing workout for Noel Fehily at Kempton.

The injury prone German eight year old has had several ups and downs in his career but Charlie Mann told racingpost.com on Tuesday: “Air Force One has endured all sorts of problems, including with a hock, but he worked like a dream over a mile and a half at Kempton. There is no doubt he’s on the way back.”

Part of his rehabilitation to get him back on form included time at the Equine Service Centre at Inglesham in Wiltshire, where he was exercised regularly on a water treadmill, that coupled with his steady performance for Noel Fehily and Mann said “He is ready for a run, but having got this far I’m not going to risk him on very soft ground. He may start off in the Aon Chase at Newbury because he needs a small field to boost his confidence.

He was initially listed for the Grand National last year but ultimately didn’t make the final cut of forty starters. This year he has been registered for the Cheltenham Gold Cup where he has ante post odds of 66/1 with Paddy Power and Mann hopes that he will then go on and compete in the 2010 Grand National.

In 2007 Gordon Elliott proved that age, experience and reputation are not precursors for success at the Aintree Grand National. The novice trainer who had not yet had a single winner in his homeland of Ireland, won the steeplechase with 33-1 shot Silver Birch.

As the youngest ever trainer to win the race, at 29 years of age, Gordon Elliott had apparently just bought Silver Birch as a ‘fun horse for cross-country races.’ from legendary Champion trainer Paul Nicholls. The irony of course is that Nicholls, who is one of the best trainers in horse racing, has never won the Grand National despite his best attempts year on year.

Despite being a trainer at such a young age, Gordon Elliott was also an incredibly successful jockey in his own right. He moved to the Pipe yard in Somerset in 2002, where he went on to ride 200 winners and another 50 under Rules. He had hoped to enter the Grand National as a rider, but on his first attempt his license failed to come through on time and on his second attempt a more experienced rider came along and knocked him out of the running.

In July 2007 Elliot began training at Capranny Stables in Co. Meath, and it was here that he trained Silver Birch. The Grand National win proved Elliot to be a serious trainer, despite the fact that he had only trained three winners in Britain and none in Ireland. But he worked wonders with Silver Birch, and an impressive second place at the Cheltenham Festival convinced him that he should be entered in the National.

2010 will be interesting as Elliott is pinning his Grand National hopes on Backstage who is currently running middle of the pack with bookmakers ante-post odds which you can find at Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and Betfair. Robbie Power rode for him last year on Silver Birch and he’s a terrific jockey with great prospects so could this be Elliott’s second win?