Warne Set To Defend Fox Hunters Warne is on course to defend his crown in the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase over the Grand National course at Aintree on April 9. The Brian Hamilton-trained 11-year-old was an impressive 13-length winner of the race last year and provided rider Sam Waley-Cohen with his fourth victory over the famous fences. The last horse to record back-to-back wins in the Fox Hunters' Chase was Katarino (2006) who, like Warne, carried the colours of Robert Waley-Cohen and was ridden by his son Sam. Hamilton said: "Warne is all set for Aintree and will travel over on Tuesday morning. "He is going there reasonably straight and although I would have liked to have got a harder race into him, he has come on nicely in the last week or so. "Everything went very smoothly for him right the way through last season, whereas this season it has not been ideal because he was sick early on and it took a while to get him organised. "He also had a little back problem but we are back on an even course and he is in as good form as I can get him in. He is not far off where he was last year but he would need to be at that level or probably better to beat On The Fringe. "Even without On The Fringe, it is shaping up to be harder race than last year with Liam Cusack's horse (Last Time D'Albain) in there as well. He has been trained for it and his preparation has gone very well. "We obviously have good course form and the top rider on board. Sam's record speaks for itself, so we are hopeful."
