Grand National horses from England - South West

Beauport led last year's Grand National in the second-half of the race and appeared to be really enjoying himself at the head of affairs before overtaken at the third-last fence. His effort capitulated very quickly after that, which was somewhat surprising for a horse who had won the Midlands National over a similar distance. 

Trainers Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies have been swapping his races between hurdles and fences over the last few seasons and he started this season with a very encouraging run over the larger obstacles when a close-up fourth over three-miles and three furlongs at Cheltenham in November. Two less inspiring efforts have come over hurdles since then so it's difficult to know what kind of form the ten-year-old gelding is in. 

If Beauport does turn up at Aintree he will run from a three pound lower mark than last year but even with that reduction it's hard to fancy him given how quickly he checked out last year but he has since had wind operation so perhaps an improved performance could be on the cards.

Twig is one of the few horses engaged in the Grand National who has already won a race over these fences which he achieved when winning the Becher Chase in December.

The Ben Pauling trained gelding also ran in the Grand National last year where he finished tenth.

The eleven-year-old gelding has won six times over fences and is effective on good and soft ground so shouldn’t mind ground conditions should he make it to the final field but will need a number of horses above him in the handicap to withdraw before the day of the race to have a chance of actually running.

Johnnywho heads to Aintree under the care of the revitalised father and son training partnership of Jonjo and AJ O’Neill and he goes there with an outstanding chance on the back of his career-best victory in the Ultima Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival.

This son of Califet has taken a while to fulfil his promise over fences, despite scoring on chasing debut at Carlisle, he made connections wait for nine races before getting his head in front again. In the interim, he had been run out of last year’s Kim Muir by just a neck and then failed by half-a-length in a 57k handicap at Ascot in December.

All was forgiven when he held off the strong late challenge of Jagwar to take the 84k first price in the Ultima, which is one of the strongest trials for the Grand National. Corach Rambler won that race before heading on to Aintree to capture the National and Johnnywho appears to have a great chance of completing the same double. 

The O’Neill team gave their charge a wind operation before Cheltenham as well as adding first-time cheekpieces and the combination worked the oracle as the nine-year-old gelding could be spotted travelling easily with two to jump. A fall at the last by Search For Glory aided Johnnywho’s cause but he was extremely tenacious in seeing off long-time leader Quebecois and the aforementioned Jagwar.

As the weights for the Grand National were framed before the Cheltenham Festival, Johnnywho’s Aintree rating has been set at 146 whereas the handicapper has now raised his new overall mark to 152 meaning he gets to race in the National six pounds “well-in”. He does have stamina to prove for the Grand National trip, especially as he didn’t appear to see out the 3m 5f trip in the Irish National last year, but that was on ground that was probably softer than ideal. The wind operation and headgear will obviously have to work for a second time but with his advantage in the handicap he does appear to have an exceptionally good chance of winning the Grand National for a second time for Jonjo O’Neill.

Usually it would be a concern to see a horse contesting the Grand National off a long break but Marble Sands has got an excellent record in those circumstances and has returned figures of 21162 when returning from a 100 day break or more.

Whilst only making the track three times since last April, all his runs have been very good with things starting off a run on the flat where he just lost out in a photo-finish at Goodwood. A return to fences was next up for the ten-year-old where he got back into the winners’ enclosure when winning a very competitive handicap chase at Cheltenham’s November meeting. From there he headed to Wetherby on Boxing Day and was unfortunate to bump into the very well-handicapped Konfusion who ended up seven lengths ahead of Marble Sands at the line.

The question for most punters would be if this horse has enough class for a race like the Grand National and most would look to his race in the Topham over the National fences last season where he was beaten over twenty-five lengths by Gentleman De Mee. It could be that the distance of the Topham was insufficient and he was seen in a much better light when winning over nearly three-and-a-half miles in that aforementioned race at Cheltenham but it’s still a big jump to being competitive at Aintree.

That said, Marble Sands might appeal to those who like to include a big-price horse in their selections, especially with the additional angle of his excellent record when fresh.

Lightly raced this season so will be a fresh horse compared to many in the lineup which is a positive but also arrives with career best efforts this season in two of his races. He won a valuable Handicap Chase at Haydock over 3m1f on seasonal return in November and then put a below par effort (where he couldn't dominate) behind him with a staying on 2nd in the Grand National trial over 3m4f back at Haydock in February.

He does appear to produce his best when being able to dictate the pace from the front so that scenario wouldn't be guaranteed in a field of 34 runners in the Grand National. Lots of positives though, five wins from twelve starts over fences and he does appear to be one of the more obvious contenders to appreciate this sort of stamina test having won at 3 miles or over on four occasions and the West Wales National at Ffos Las. He is also ground versatile having won on good, good to soft, soft and heavy conditions.

A progressive 8-year-old and sound jumper who has won four of his eleven chase starts with three of those wins coming on the Mildmay Course (other chase course) here at Aintree so clearly likes the place although yet to run over the National fences.

He won the Peter March Handicap Chase over 3m1f at Haydock in January which is a recognised Grand National trial. Probably best to ignore his run when finishing 8th of 22 in the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham having been badly hampered by a faller.