Double Seven has National options Martin Brassil may bid for his second triumph in the Crabbie's Grand National courtesy of Double Seven. The JP McManus-owned eight-year-old has won five on the bounce, including a two-length verdict over Spring Heeled in the Munster National over three miles at Limerick in October, and he was last seen tasting Listed glory at Wexford later that month. He is one of 115 entries for the Aintree feature on April 5. Brassil, who landed the National in 2006 with Numbersixvalverde, said: "Double Seven has got a rating now that means he will be running in either a Crabbie's Grand National or an Irish Grand National come the spring. It's an obvious entry to make for a horse rated 146. "He had a break for about six weeks after Wexford and is back in training now getting ready for a spring campaign. I think the good ground and fine weather we had over the summer helped him. We also put cheekpieces on and they seem to have also made a difference. "The Grand National is probably not as much a jumping test now as it was when Numbersixvalverde won, but Double Seven is a grand jumper. "He has won over two miles, two and a half miles and three miles, always finishing strongly. He will give himself every chance of staying, but it's about getting around and keeping out of trouble. "He is in the four-miler at Cheltenham, but I don't know where he will run next. A bit of good ground might tempt me to run him before Aintree."
