Although all eyes were understandably focusing on the new champion Long Run getting the better of a tremendous tussle with former champions Denman and Kauto Star, Johnson’s Tidal Bay had become tailed off, but then (as is his wont), suddenly decided he fancied the job and came home strongly to finish with a flourish into sixth position. It is no secret that the 10-year-old is a very quirky performer but he is also endowed with bags of talent and his County Durham-based handler is beginning to warm to the idea that Aintree and the challenge of the John Smith’s Grand National might just be the challenge his horse is looking for. He may be something of an outsider in the Grand National betting, but he could have what it takes.

Johnson reasons that the longer trip of the Aintree marathon could well suit Tidal Bay, a horse who tends to get behind in his races before finishing with a head of steam, much as he did in November when coming from out of the clouds to run the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander to a length in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase. Those looking for Aintree Grand National tipsshould bear this in mind. The Graham Wylie-owned gelding is also reckoned to be a horse who thrives on new challenges, and the former Arkle Chase and Cleeve Hurdle winner might just fancy the job on April 9.

Despite showing that he still possesses bags of ability with his Cheltenham effort, bookmakers have left the son of Flemensfirth at 50/1 behind the general ante-post market leader The Midnight Club (12/1), representing the in-form Willie Mullins stable.

The subject of much media interest at Aintree in 2010 when partnered by Nina Carberry in the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’, Character Building came home in seventh place behind Don’t Push It having looked for all the world as if his long sustained run from the Canal Turn would carry him into a place. In the end he failed only narrowly to make the frame finishing in a bunch finish for fifth. That effort certainly encouraged connections that the galloping grey might one day do even better in the marathon event and Aintree has been the sole target for the 11-year-old since his fine effort last season. The best Grand National odds suggest he has a chance of making the grade this time around.

Until his Doncaster run at the weekend the jury was still out as to whether or not Quinn’s Accordion gelding was in good enough form to be taken seriously as a candidate for honours once again, but there was enough in his third-place finish in a race run at a lightning gallop, (the winner clocked more than 16 seconds below standard time on a day when all the other races were above the standard), to suggest that Character Building might yet be a player when he reaches his peak on the second Saturday in April.

He remains as big as 50/1 with some firms, although Skybet appear more impressed by most by his Town Moor effort and are taking no chances in making Character Building just a 28/1 shot in their book.

Also allotted top weight of 11st 12lbs is David Pipe’s classy Madison Du Berlais in a race where 17 horses have stood their ground at the five-day stage and which, due to the spate of abandonments in recent weeks, has added significance as a genuine Grand National trial.

Silver By Nature is set to run off a 6lbs higher mark than when running away to a 15-length victory last year, but that is still a good way lower than recent marks that have seen the grey struggle to get competitive in subsequent outings, although he was far from disgraced when finishing seventh to Jonjo O’Neill’s Synchronised in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, a race in which he had finished runner-up in 2009 to Dream Alliance.

A thorough stayer who relishes plenty of cut in the ground, the current ‘heavy’ ground description will be music to the ears of the gelding’s Scotland-based trainer, who could give the green light to a bid for the big one at Aintree if her charge puts up a good show on Saturday. Silver By Nature is currently a best priced 40/1 shot in the Grand National betting odds.

Other possible Haydock runners holding Aintree entries include likely favourite for Saturday’s race West End Rocker, who goes to Haydock on a hat-trick having followed up his win at Newbury in December with a fine effort to land the Grade 3 Classic Chase at Warwick last month. Alan King’s nine-year-old can be backed at around 25/1 for the Aintree spectacular.

Denman’s potential presence in the line-up for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ would probably be seen as a double-edged sword by the powers that be at Aintree. On one hand, the prospect of Denman tackling the awesome Aintree fences and bidding to join the all-time greats by winning a Grand National and the Gold Cup, would draw more people to the track and cause an even bigger media scrum than is normally the case.

On the other hand though, Paul Nicholls’ chaser is rated 182, so with the Grand National being a handicap and most of the likely contenders being rated between 140-160, his presence in the race would mean that virtually every other horse would be running from ‘out of the handicap’ – in other words, having to carry more weight relative to Denman than their ability suggests they can do successfully.

From a betting point of view this would cause plenty of headaches for bookmakers, while at the same time it would turn the race into Denman versus ‘The Rest’, rather than seeing 40 horses, (many of whom would have a real sporting chance thanks to the handicapping system), competing in a wide-open contest.

Denman is currently the 14/1 ante-post favourite in the Grand National betting with many firms, but his participation in the race depends very much on how he runs in the Gold Cup. It would be an amazing sight to see the great horse at Aintree, but personally, for the sake of seeing a competitive race, I’d prefer him to be targeted at other big prizes.

Way back in 1982 Grittar became the first hunter chaser of the modern era to win the Grand National when partnered by 48-year-old amateur rider Dick Saunders to a famous Aintree success. This year Trust Fund, a very smart hunter chaser himself, may attempt to be the first this millennium to repeat the feat, writes Elliot Slater.

Many Grand National Betting punters fail to take seriously the prospects of a hunter chaser winning the world’s greatest steeplechase, but when you get a very high class hunter chaser, they can be well worth a place in the line-up. Richard Barber’s Trust Fund has little to prove having won the Fox Hunters’ Trophy at Aintree last year, jumping brilliantly before holding on gamely to outpoint course specialist Christie Beamish by four lengths, under Tom Greenall.

Trust Fund, a 12-year-old, has run well throughout his career over distances beyond four miles, jumps very soundly and prefers a decent surface; he would be an unlikely starter in the case of very soft ground. Having beaten 19 rivals at Chepstow prior to his Aintree victory where 29 others were left toiling in his wake, Trust Fund then went to Cheltenham where he justified odds-on with a never-say-die effort to win on the nod from former classy staying chaser Take The Stand.

Not seen out yet this term, Trust Fund is a horse who can run very well after an extended break and seems to get on particularly well with Tom Greenall, whose father Lord Daresbury owns the near veteran, who although knocking on a bit has actually only raced twenty times during his seven season career.

Available at a best priced 100/1 with Grand National Odds, Trust Fund might well give those interested in backing a long shot a seriously good run for their money and could go close to reviving memories of 1982 in attempting to put the hunter chase fraternity back in the Grand National spotlight.

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!

It seems that lately, Paul Nicholls can do no wrong when it comes to training high profile winners and he’s odds on favourite to be be top trainer for Cheltenham in a couple of weeks with notable runners such as Tricky Trickster, Denman and Kauto Star all under his guidance.

His challenge for the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, which started off being six strong with Denman, Kauto Star, My Will, Taranis, Tricky Trickster and What a Friend has been reduced to five after it emerged on Wednesday that Taranis had met with a setback, and will miss the Festival.

Although he was never considered the favourite and realistically had an uphill battle if he was to make an impact with other contenders such as Cooldine and Imperial Commander still in the running as well as the epic battle between Denman and Kauto Star, he was generally about fifth favourite with the bookies on about 20/1 with most of them.

Despite his successful comeback from serious injury in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham last month he was taken out of the Gold Cup and Grand National entries after an ultra-sound scan revealed he had suffered a fracture of a bony muscle attached to the femur, just below the hip.

This, of course, also rules him out of the 2010 Grand National where hopes were high for him and as it stands, Nicholls is just hoping that he can get him back on track for next season.