Time set for Aintree Oscar Time will be bidding to give owner Robert and his jockey son Sam Waley-Cohen a big-race double following the Cheltenham Gold Cup triumph of Long Run earlier this month. Trained in Castletown Geoghegan by Martin Lynch, the 10-year-old was last seen finishing third behind Grand National ante-post favourite The Midnight Club in Fairyhouse's Bobbyjo Chase. "The Grand National has been the only aim this season and he's 100% after his last run," said Lynch. "I was very pleased with that, it was his first start over fences since the Irish National last year, so we were delighted with it. "You don't know until you run them over four and a half miles but he seemed to get the three-mile, five in the Irish National very well. "He has early pace too and I would hope that he would get the trip, but you just don't know. "Any ground will do, that doesn't bother him." Donald McCain is similarly delighted with his National hope Ballabriggs, a winner of two novice hurdles this season before finishing second in a chase at Kelso. "He worked on Wednesday and we were thrilled with him. He's in great shape," said the trainer. "He needs another two pieces of work, which he'll have, and that should leave him spot-on."
