Good ground for National optimism

Published on Sunday 30 March 2008 23:07

COME tea-time on Saturday, the vast majority of the nation will be looking for excuses as to why their selection didn't win the Grand National, but it seems one fall guy none of us will able to blame is the ground.

Aintree clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch is confident that the John Smith's sponsored marathon will take place on near perfect going, so I had better start scratching around for another reason as to why The Scotsman selection won't prevail at Liverpool.

"The course is good to soft and soft in places. We've got a terrific covering of grass so hopefully it will dry out and be no worse than good," said Tulloch.

Cloudy Lane remains at the head of the market, with Simon and Chelsea Harbour both coming in for support yesterday, although the news that Tony McCoy has plumped for Butler's Cabin in an attempt to break his National duck didn't exactly send the market into meltdown.

The 12-times champion, who has finished third in the race three times, had the choice of four JP McManus-owned entries but has remained loyal to the Jonjo O'Neill-trained gelding on whom he won the Irish Grand National last season.

McCoy could yet switch to the Arthur Moore-trained King Johns Castle should conditions turn out to be more testing than is predicted.

The weekend action saw Curlin confirm his status as the fastest four legs on the planet, cheetahs and other very fast things that don't actually race against each other excepted, albeit the opposition in the Dubai World Cup wasn't quite as strong as might have been hoped for in an event worth 3 million.

Curlin's winning distance of almost eight lengths, was, however, the biggest in the race's history, and as he's only four, Steve Asmussen's colt should have plenty of opportunities in the future to prove he really is the real deal.

Paradise Dancer plies her trade at a much lower level than the mighty Curlin but will this afternoon be asked to carry the nap to victory at Lingfield, a task that makes winning the Dubai World Cup look a dawdle.