Horse racing: Supreme Seabass in line for tilt at Grand National

The four-and-a-half-mile spectacular at Aintree may be a totally different test to this Grade Two contest over two miles – but trainer Ted Walsh believes it is worth a try. And Walsh knows what it takes, having tasted National glory in 2000 with Papillon, who had finished fourth in this race in his glory season.

Seabass had to show battling qualities, as well as a touch of class, when rallying in determined fashion to collar Zaarito close home by a length.

Sent off the 5-4 favourite, Seabass cut out the running with Saludos but Zaarito looked like he had timed his run to perfection when going on between the last two fences.

However, Ruby Walsh got a tremendous late effort out of the nine-year-old to get up in the dying strides, much to the delight of his syndicate of owners, who hail from Co. Galway.

“Seabass got under the last but was gutsy. He was out of his comfort zone over two miles and was going faster than he wanted to go, but battled well,” said the trainer. “Maybe some of the other horses weren’t as good as they used to be, but he was won 120,00 euro since he won his point to point and that’s not bad! If he stays sound, we’ll go to Aintree for the Grand National.

“There’s no ideal type of horse for that race, you won’t know until you get there.

“Nobody knows if he’ll get the trip, he’s never been beyond three miles, but I imagine looking at him he is the right type.

“However, the biggest problem is keeping him sound – he has been on the ‘scrap heap’ three times already.”

Walsh acknowledged that his son might be committed to a horse at Aintree trained either by Willie Mullins or Paul Nicholls, and he rode Prince De Beauchene to National favouritism at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

Should that be the case, Walsh senior would hand the ride to his daughter, Katie. He added: “The choice will be be Ruby’s and he rides for Willie (Mullins) or Paul (Nicholls) but if for some reason they went by the wayside he might decide to ride this fellow. If he doesn’t, I have a very able substitute in Katie.”

Seabass, who has been allotted 10st 12lb for the National, was cut to 16-1 from 33s with Stan James for the Aintree showpiece.

Paddy Power opened a book on what Walsh will ride at Aintree, going 1-3 Prince De Beauchene, 5-1 Seabass, 7-1 On His Own and also 7-1 any other horse than those three.

Walsh junior had earlier struck on Felix Yonger, who continued owner Graham Wylie’s fine first season with runners in Ireland when landing the spoils in the paddypower.com Novice Hurdle. The Mullins-trained 2-1 favourite had to work hard for this Grade Two success but was up to the task, coming home three lengths to the good from Dressedtothenines.

Stan James cut Felix Yonger to 25-1 from 40-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, 25-1 from 33s for the Neptune and were unchanged at 33-1 for the Albert Bartlett. Rathlin completed a hat-trick over fences with a convincing victory in the Woodlands Park 100 Club Nas Na Riogh Novice Chase.

Meanwhile, Kauto Star is reported to be in tremendous shape ahead of his bid for a third Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup success next month.

The only horse ever to regain the crown after adding success in 2009 to his first two years earlier, Clive Smith’s gelding has been in irresistible form this term, defeating 2011 hero Long Run in both the Betfair Chase and King George VI Chase.

Kauto Star has been unaffected by the recent coughing outbreak among some horses at trainer Nicholls’ stables, and delighted connections in his latest workout. “He’s in good form,” said Nicholls. “Clifford [Baker] worked him on Saturday morning and we’ve got three weeks to get him in tip-top form.”

His half-brother Kauto Stone is also on target for Cheltenham with the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase rather than the Ryanair Chase looking the more likely option after he ran too free in the Ascot Chase last time.

“He’s in the Ryanair and the Champion Chase and we’ve got to make a decision,” the Ditcheat trainer said.

“If he ran in the Ryanair the way he did at Ascot he won’t get home so we might look at the Champion Chase.”