As a jockey, Irishman Dessie Hughes scaled the heights, winning the 1977 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Davy Lad and the Champion Hurdle two years later when partnering Monksfield to a famous success over Sea Pigeon. Now, more than 30 years on, Hughes has his best chance of winning the John Smith’s Grand National as the trainer of both Vic Venturi and Black Apalachi, writes Elliot Slater.

Already seen as serious contenders for honours at Aintree this year, Hughes did nothing to lessen the excitement emanating from his yard when sending out Vic Venturi to win the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse last month, with Black Apalachi also running a cracker to come second.

Vic Venturi, a best priced 20/1, has already proven his ability to handle the daunting Aintree fences in winning the Becher Chase over one circuit of the National course back in November. He stays well and handles the soft ground that is now anticipated for the world’s greatest steeplechase, although the final going will depend on the Grand National weather.

For his part, Black Apalachi has also won the Becher Chase but is probably best known to the betting public for his heroics in last year’s Grand National where he put up a tremendous display of bold front-running and was still going strongly in the lead when blundering and unseating Denis O’Regan at Becher’s on the second circuit. It was still too early to be sure, but there is no doubt that Hughes’ charge was revelling in the experience and might well have finished in the first four had he put in a clean round.

Bookmakers are taking few chances this time around and Black Apalachi who is currently quoted at a best priced 14/1. It would be no surprise to see those odds shorten considerably in the 48 hours before the race as the betting public are shown video reminders of his big run 12 months ago. Those who want to place a Grand National bet on the 11-year-old might be best advised to take a price sooner rather than later.

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.

In 171 years of Grand National history only one horse has managed to win the toughest steeple chase three times ~ the legendary, famed and infamous Red Rum. This remarkable jumper became an instant celebrity in horse racing circles after winning the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977. The 2010 Aintree Grand National might just lay the foundation for a second triple winner, considering that the field will include three previous Grand National champions.

Silver Birch (2007 winner), Comply Or Die (2008 winner) and Mon Mome (2009 winner) are all planning to return to the site of their former glory on April 19th in an attempt to claim the second victory that would set them on the path to share Red Rum’s thus untouched achievement.

As the Aintree Festival and with it the anticipated Grand National draws nearer, it may be a good idea to take a closer look at these three interesting contenders.

Silver Birch – Foaled April 6th 1997 Silver Birch is by far the oldest of the three contenders for the coveted dual win. However, age does not need to be a drawback; after all Peter Simple, the oldest horse to win the Grand National, was 15 years old when he was the first across the line. Out of his 28 career starts the gelding has won seven races, placed second five times and recorded two third places; leaving him at a 25% winning rate. However, since his win in the 2007 Grand National, Silver Birch has not recorded a win. Nonetheless, the Elliott trained contender placed an impressive second place in the Glenfarclas P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase at Punchestown on January 31st this year. This hints that the thirteen-year-old is in better shape than he has been in years; which is necessary as Silver Birch is unlikely to have many more active seasons left to race. If Elliott couples his charge once more with regular jockey Robbie Power, who rode Silver Birch to his previous Grand National victory, the veteran will be an interesting candidate to watch over the next weeks.

Comply Or Die – Out of the three returning champions Comply Or Die is the one who has already narrowly scraped by a second win, leaving him with business to settle with rival Mon Mome. After winning the Grand National in 2008, the David Pipe-trained gelding was beaten by 100-1 outsider Mon Mome. Since this defeat the eleven-year-old has not recorded any outstanding successes. His most recent race, the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival 2010, saw Comply Or Die starting out well but faltering to the point of reaching only a disappointing 13th place. However, it was the first race he had to face without regular jockey Tommy Murphy since December 2007. Although Comply Or Die seems to be in a slight funk, it is not out of the question that the experienced team of Pipe and Murphy will pull out enough stops to give their charge another shot at multiple Grand National Glory.

Mon Mome – When Mon Mome raced to victory in last year’s Grand National at Aintree, it was one of the rare triumphs of the underdog that make a race day truly memorable. Rated with 100-1 odds the French-trained gelding became the first French horse to win the Grand National in exactly one century; since the 1909 victory of Lutteur III. However, as it seems to be the curse of the recent Grand National champions since his success at Aintree Mom Mome has yet to record another win; although he has been racing consistently and never with truly shameful consequences. Out of his 38 career runs Mon Mome has won six races, and placed second and third eight and four times respectively; leaving him at a 15.7% winning rate. The ten-year-old is the youngest of the returning champions, which gives him the edge in this unusually tough and competitive race, although the experience of his rivals must not be underestimated.

The Aintree Grand National is always an occasion it is after all the craziest steeple chase staged all year whether or not it produces a double winner. Still, a double win would up the ante for the 2011 Grand National and the connections of the three candidates are working and planning around the clock in order to get their charges in the best possible shape for the looming event.

For more news about upcoming horse race meetings (including, obviously, the Grand National) check out Horse Racing UK for regular news, previews and reviews.

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.

Niche Market’s chances at the Grand National are progressively improving and according to trainer Bob Buckler, he is a ‘model’ horse for the race. His running in the Newbury Aon Chase where he came second to Tricky Trickster has encouraged bookmakers to make him the obvious second favourite for the Aintree race, and at 16/1, is succeeded only by Tricky Trickster himself.

At eleven stone four, Niche Market also caused a huge commotion when having been one of four reserves for the 2009 Grand National he was denied a run when there were no non-runners. He then went on to win in the Irish National in April as a 33-1 shot, chased home by two horses that had started at 50-1. He was the third English-trained victor of the Irish National in the previous six years, and gave trainer Buckler a very welcome and very new taste of fame. He first took out a training licence fifteen years ago, and the reward money of €141,500 for the Irish National was more than he had won in the whole of the previous season. Buckler admitted that not getting to race in the Grand National may have been a ‘blessing in disguise’, as the Irish National was ‘much more suitable for him.’

Both owner and trainer have always been particularly optimistic about Niche Market’s chances, knowing what he is capable of from the offset – he had been entered in huge races early on including the Cheltenham National Hunt Chase, in which he came fourth in 2008 and eighth in 2009. He was already proving what he was made of when he won the BGC Silver Cup at Ascot from Monkerhostin in December 2008. However it wasn’t until he came third to the impressive Denman in the 2009 Hennessy Gold Cup that the steeple chase world really began to sit up and pay attention.

Regan, being an Irishman, would prefer if Niche Market was a Cheltenham Gold Cup than an Aintree horse, but that is not the way things have worked out for the horse, which at the end of the day may work out in his favour if he wins in April. The nine year old he has been steadily improving over the past few years and owner Regan expects his weight to go up 2lb or a bit more, which would take his official mark from 148 to 150 nearly for the 2010 National. As Regan says: ‘Niche Market jumps, he gallops and he stays, so in my view, he’s a model for the National.’

2010 is here and with it comes a brand new Grand National and with it a new batch of horses to keep our eyes on, as well as some old faithfuls who just might still be capable of causing a major upset on Saturday April 10th at Aintree!

The steeple chase season is fast and furious and on any given Saturday a Grand National contender can really make an impact and have the bookies in a tizz as the rush to slash odds which is basically what’s happened over the Christmas and New Year.

Despite the massive weather disruptions and the cancellation of some of the more popular meetings, Paddy Power has obviously gotten it’s hands on the inside track because the odds have been changing since my last update back in December so without further ado here are your new ante-post odds for the 2010 Grand National….

• Tricky Trickster 18/1
• Black Apalachi 20/1
• Big Fella Thanks 20/1
• Niche Market 20/1
• War Of Attrition 20/1
• Vic Venturi 20/1
• Comply Or Die 25/1
• Backstage 25/1
• Hello Bud 25/1
• Don’t Push It 25/1
• Arbor Supreme 25/1
• Possol 25/1
• State Of Play 33/1
• Character Building 33/1
• My Will 33/1
• Irish Raptor 33/1
• Mon Mome 33/1
• Butler’s Cabin 33/1
• Notre Pere 33/1
• Nine De Sivola 33/1
• Oscar Time 33/1
• Dream Alliance 33/1
• Can’t Buy Time 33/1
• Gallant Nuit 50/1

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.

It took Silver Birch, the 10-yer-old, Gordon Elliott trained gelding just 9 minutes 13.60 seconds to complete and win the four and a half mile Aintree Grand National in 2007. This was an incredible feat given that just two years earlier a leg injury had precipitated a downward spiral that saw a virtual halt to a once promising career.

He was despatched to Doncaster Sales after his Aintree tumble, but Irishman Brian Walsh purchased him for 20,000 guineas and sent him to trainer Gordon Elliott’s small yard in Trim, County Meath to patch him up.

By 2007 Walsh and Elliott, who at 26 and 29 respectively were the youngest owner and trainer to send out a runner, had him back in fighting form and ready for the race of his life. He slipped under the radar of the bookies who still perceived him to be a shadow of his former glory days and was sent off as one of nine horses deemed the joint 15th choice in the betting.

Point Barrow started the race as 8/1 co-favourite alongside Monkerhostin and Joes Edge but he made it no further than the first fence. Monkerhostin fared little better but refused at the seventh (Foinavon), while Joes Edge was pulled up before the 20th.

Robbie Power took the ride on Silver Birch, who was handily weighted on his best form with 10st 6lb and had moved through to take a prominent position by the 12th fence. But he had competition for the lead, while approaching the third last, from Barry Geraghty who was aboard fellow Irish horse Slim Pickings.

But a mistake by Geraghty’s mount at the last fence gave Power and Silver Birch the break that was needed to the charge to the line. Slim Pickings tried in vain to get back on terms but a new challenge emerged after the famous ‘elbow’ as Tom O’Brien drove Welsh-trained McKelvey in hot pursuit.

McKelvey was well-supported at 12/1 and had the crowd roaring as he surged wide of Silver Birch but the last ditch attempt was too little too late and it was Power and Silver Birch who took the most valuable prize in jump racing by three quarters of a length.

Slim Pickings was third at 33/1, the Nick Williams-trained mud-lover Philson Run stayed on to take fourth at 100/1 under John Smith’s Grand National debutant Daryl Jacob, while another first-timer, amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, enjoyed a dream ride to finish fifth aboard his father’s mare Liberthine at 40/1.

Perfect conditions at Aintree contributed to the fact that 30 of the 40-strong field were still standing with a circuit to race, with 12 crossing the finish line, including the past two winners, Hedgehunter and Numbersixvalverde, who finished ninth and sixth respectively.

The Aintree Grand National, as we know it, has been going for over 170 years so you can well imagine how much information is out there regarding it’s rich and illustrious history. So I’m going to go all the way back and give you the juicy details of it’s origins!

It’s widely believed that the first Grand National was in 1836 and was won by The Duke. This same horse triumphed again in 1837 while Sir William was the winner in 1838. But of course, like most things in life, there’s a big debate over these facts. Many disregard these races because of the belief that the 1837 & 1838 runnings took place at Maghull and not at Aintree!

But in the last twenty years several race historians have provided indisputable evidence that these three races were actually all run over the same course at Aintree but to date though, their calls for the Nationals of 1836-38 to be restored to the record books have been ignored.

From the 1840’s things ran smoothly enough so the next big upheaval came during World War I, while the Aintree racecourse was closed. An alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse on the site of the present Gatwick Airport.

The first of these races, in 1916, was called the Racecourse Association Steeplechase and in the following two years the race was known as the War National Steeplechase. The races at Gatwick are not always recognised as “Grand Nationals” however, and their results are often omitted from winners’ lists.

So there you have a brief outline of the early history of the Grand National, let’s hope that nothing happens in 2010 to scratch it from the record books!!

I like to update the ante-post odds on the Grand national 2010 every few weeks just to make sure that the bookies haven’t inadvertently discovered something that could effect the race and changed the odds accordingly.

Of course, there are also a tonne of steeplechases on over the season which also impact the various chances of the horses involved and this must also be taken into account.

Even though there has been no official declaration of the entrants, and there probably won’t be until the end of January or early February, there’s no harm in keeping an eye on the front runners especially if they come from stables with are quite ‘hot’ at the moment. For example, Paul Nicholls is on an enviable winning streak so it’s always good to pay attention to the horses he may be entering…

For now though, these are the most up to date ante-post odds available with Paddy Power…

• Vic Venturi 16/1
• Niche Market 20/1
• Tricky Trickster 20/1
• State Of Play 25/1
• Black Apalachi 25/1
• Comply Or Die 25/1
• Character Building 25/1
• Big Fella Thanks 25/1
• My Will 25/1
• Backstage 25/1
• Hello Bud 25/1
• Don’t Push It 25/1
• Gallant Nuit 25/1
• Arbor Supreme 25/1
• Irish Raptor 33/1
• Mon Mome 33/1
• Butler’s Cabin 33/1
• Notre Pere 33/1
• Possol 33/1
• Nine De Sivola 33/1
• War Of Attrition 33/1

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.