Beauchene aiming for third time lucky Prince De Beauchene finally gets his chance in the Crabbie's Grand National after being forced to miss the last two renewals through injury. The champion trainer Willie Mullins believes it would be dangerous to leave the 11-year-old out of calculations in tomorrow's Aintree showpiece. He said: "We didn't make it to the track as he had niggly problems both years, but this year we've got him here and he's come here a bit under the radar. We've had a totally trouble-free run and I think he's going to be good value." Mullins also saddles outsider Vesper Bell, the mount of Mikey Fogarty. "He'll love the trip, he'll love the ground and will love these fences. He's a big price if someone wants a small few pounds on him," said Mullins. Peter Maher's Big Shu is a formidable opponent over the cross-country and banks tracks of Cheltenham and Punchestown. Winner of the cross-country event at Prestbury Park last year, he was third in the latest renewal. County Kildare-based Maher said: "He wasn't quite 100 per cent for Cheltenham. He'd been sick a month before and he's always at his best on his third run. Paul Carberry didn't get the same horse at Cheltenham as Barry Cash had 12 months before. "I thought he travelled really well, but just got stuck in fourth gear without going up into fifth. I've never had him better than he is now." Dessie Hughes has already been on the mark at Grade One level this week and saddles Raz De Maree for the Gigginstown House Stud operation. Winner of the Cork and Munster Nationals as a seven-year-old, the now-nine-year-old ran his best race for a long time when third in Daily Mirror Chase at Down Royal. Hughes said: "He won over three and a half miles in Cork so he should get the trip. He got hurt after that which was why he was off for a year. I've had Aintree in mind or him since last year. It was a good run the last day in Down Royal over three miles and two in a conditions chase there. He finished third. He's going to be ready for it." Gigginstown can also call upon Colm Murphy's Quito De La Roque, who has any amount of Grade One form to his name, and takes his National chance for the first time as a 10-year-old. And while seemingly not the force he was, he does have winning form over the Mildmay fences. Murphy said: "We've freshened him up since Fairyhouse (pulled up in the Bobbyjo) and he's done everything we've asked of him at home. He's run well in Liverpool twice before so that will hopefully be a positive. This is his time of the year - he seems to get better with a bit of sun on his back."
