Late National call with Le Beau Bai

A decision on whether Le Beau Bai runs in Saturday's John Smith's Grand National will be made at the last possible moment.

Winner of the Welsh National in December, Richard Lee's nine-year-old is at his best when the mud is flying.

After 11 millimetres of rain in Liverpool on Monday, more is forecast throughout the rest of the week but whether enough will fall to enable Le Beau Bai to run is a different matter.

The ground is currently soft on the Grand National course, but that might not be wet enough for Le Beau Bai, who finished third to Giles Cross in the National Trial at Haydock last time out.

"It might not be soft enough for him at the moment," said Lee.

"I'm sending somebody to walk the course for me tomorrow and I know it's soft now, but it may dry up a bit towards the end of the week.

"He'll only run if it's soft or worse, all his wins have been on soft ground and he just doesn't let himself down on anything quicker.

"We'll probably not decide until Saturday morning, which I know doesn't help anyone but we have to do what's best for the horse."

No horse has won back-to-back Grand Nationals since the legendary Red Rum in 1973-74 and while some have come close recently, including Don't Push It 12 months ago, it illustrates how hard a task it is.

Of course Red Rum was trained by the late Ginger McCain, and his son Donald trained last year's winner, Ballabriggs, who once again has been campaigned solely around Aintree.

Speaking to this week's Racing UK podcast, McCain said: "We've won a Grand National so the pressure's off to an extent - he goes there as reigning champ but he is bouncing. He's been working as well, if not better, than I've ever seen him work before.

"The way he took to the fences last year, you'd expect him to run well again."

McCain has another string to his bow in the talented-but-fragile Charlie Hall winner Weird Al who runs in the big race rather than the Betfred Bowl.

"There's only one Grand National and we didn't think there was a great benefit going for the other race," added McCain.

"He can only be fragile for so long. He's a racehorse and there is a job for him to do and we think he could take to the place. He's ready to go and deserves his chance."