Hedgehunter Set For Sunday Service

Hedgehunter will warm up for another crack at the John Smith's Grand National over timber at Limerick on Sunday.

Having scored by an emphatic 14 lengths in 2005, the 11-year-old returned to Aintree to finish a gallant second behind Numbersixvalverde under a big weight last year.

The Trevor Hemmings-owned gelding will line up over two miles in the UL Bohemians Raceday Hurdle at the weekend with handler Willie Mullins looking forward to his return.

'We've been quite pleased with him at home and I just want to get a racecourse appearance into him before the National.

'The conditions of the race won't suit him but I wouldn't want to go there without a run.'

Hedgehunter made his seasonal reappearance last November but suffered a setback which has kept him out of action since.

'If he comes back safe and sound at the weekend that'd be great ? that's all I'm hoping for,' Mullins added.

'He had a knee problem before but it seems to be holding up well now and he seems to be over it.'

Hedgehunter is a widely-available 14-1 chance to repeat his heroics of 2005 in this year's Aintree marathon.

(C) PA Sport