Lord Set For National Challenge

Tom George has confirmed Lord Of Illusion will take his chance in the John Smith's Grand National as long as the ground does not turn soft.

With conditions at Aintree currently good to soft, soft in places on the Grand National course, the nine-year-old will be given the chance to atone for a disappointing show in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He was well out of the frame that day despite racing prominently but George is expecting better on Saturday.

'The plan is to definitely run him at this stage,' said George.

'The only reason why we wouldn't run him is if the ground went very soft. Good to soft would be fine but he just would not want extreme conditions, it wouldn't work for him.

'If the forecast is correct though, everything should be fine and it's full steam ahead.

'We checked him over very carefully after the Gold Cup and he came back fine.

'He was bang there at the third last and when it became apparent that we weren't going to be in the money, Jason (Maguire) didn't knock him about.

'He knew the National was our main target so we wanted to give him as easy a time as we could within the rules to have him as fresh as he could be on Saturday.

'He's come out of it really well as he hadn't had a run for three months and he's in great order.

'I've never really thought about training the winner of the National,' George told At The Races.

'I'm just aiming to get the horse there in good order and looking forward to the occasion. I think Hedgehunter is the one we all have to beat though.'

(C) PA Sport