Irish Challenge Grows For John Smith's Grand National

Following the publication of the weights for the #700,000 John Smith's Grand National on February 13, two more Irish trainers have revealed that they are aiming horses at the famous contest, run over four and a half miles at Aintree on Saturday, April 14.

Ballingarry trainer Charles Byrnes, whose only previous John Smith's Grand National runner, Super Franky, fell in the 2002 renewal won by Bindaree, believes he has a live contender for this year's race in the shape of talented front-runner Cloudy Bays.

The 10-year-old, a regular in top company over the past few seasons, has a victory to his name this season at Tramore, when charging home late in the Listed Wilf Dooly Chase on New Year's Day, and was last seen finishing a decent eighth to Adamant Approach in a three-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown on January 14.

Byrnes said this morning: 'I am planning to run Cloudy Bays in the John Smith's Grand National. He's been allotted 11st which is okay - I thought maybe he might get in a bit lighter, although he won't get dropped now so that's it!

'He will run at Cheltenham first in the Pertemps Final but if he performs well there he will definitely go to Aintree. He ran well in a qualifier the other day and showed a bit of sparkle and he seems to be in good form.

'Cloudy Bays is a funny horse - if he's on a going day then he can stay the trip. It depends on whether or not he settles, but if he gets into a nice rhythm then he could go well. His jumping won't be a problem - he'd take on a stone wall and is a lot braver than a number of jockeys!

'The going would not be too much of a concern either as he handles most ground. He certainly wouldn't be going to Aintree to make up the numbers and at least he is guaranteed to get a run.'

Ted Walsh, who sent out Papillon to land a huge gamble in the world's greatest chase seven years ago, has two entries this year - Southern Vic (11st 3lb) and Jack High (10st 3lb) - and the latter, who unseated at the Chair in last year's renewal when a well-supported 9/1 chance, is the most likely runner this April.

Walsh revealed: 'Jack High will be going for the John Smith's Grand National if he gets into the race. The weight he has (10st 3lb) is similar to last year and won't make any difference to him - he's the same horse he was a year ago.

'He's generally a good old jumper and there aren't many other options for him at this stage of his life. Our ambition is to go for the John Smith's Grand National and if he is well in the week of Aintree then that's where he'll be.

'The ground won't bother him as he's won a Betfred Gold Cup on good ground and a Troytown Chase on heavy. He handles everything.

'He is what he is - at 12 years of age he's in as good shape now as he was this time last year, but that still might not be good enough. He'll most likely run a couple of times before Aintree.

'Southern Vic is unlikely to run in the John Smith's Grand National. He's only eight and a bit inexperienced and is one for the future.'

Over the past few seasons, the quality of the John Smith's Grand National has continued to go from strength to strength.

The number of horses in the handicap (ie on 10st or above) at the time of the weights lunch reached a record 74 per cent this year. This makes it virtually certain that all horses who line up for the world's greatest race on April 14 will race from inside the handicap. In both the 2005 and 2006 renewals of the John Smith's Grand National, all 40 runners on the day were in the handicap.

Another area which demonstrates the continuing development of the John Smith's Grand National is the median rating of horses entered. The median has risen every year since 2004 - in 2004 it was 130, 134 in 2005, 135 in 2006 and 137 this year.

In 2005 and 2006, horses needed to be 75 or 76 in the list of weights at the day of lunch to make the cut for the race itself. In 1999 and 2004, horses in the 90s at the time of the weights lunch obtained a run, but the overall average since 1999 is 81.