Grand National 2021: Cloth Cap heads Aintree field as The Storyteller is withdrawn
By Frank KeoghBBC Sport
Cloth Cap is the favourite for Saturday s race
The Storyteller was the only withdrawal as the final field of 40 horses - headed by Cloth Cap - was named for the Grand National on Saturday.
It means Blaklion is the last horse to be guaranteed a run in the big race at Aintree.
Patrick Mullins will ride leading contender Burrows Saint for his trainer father Willie Mullins.
Stable jockey Paul Townend will miss the ride after suffering a foot injury.
Cloth Cap, trained by Jonjo O Neill, is the 4-1 favourite to give owner Trevor Hemmings a record fourth win in his green, yellow and white colours.
Randox Grand National: Rachael Blackmore dreaming of glory
By Nick Seddon
17:04 · MON April 05, 2021
Rachael Blackmore has dared to imagine herself winning the Randox Grand National but admits: “I try not to think about it too much.”
Watching the race on TV is the 31-year-old’s earliest memory of the sport and on Saturday she will bid to rewrite the history books by becoming the first female jockey to win the world’s greatest steeplechase in its 182-year history.
It would cap a remarkable three weeks for Blackmore, who was leading jockey at The Festival™ supporting WellChild at Cheltenham last month. However, she does admit finishing second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup left her with “a horrible feeling in my stomach”.
Hearts Are Trumps holds sway as JP McManus dominates big handicap at Fairyhouse the42.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from the42.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tiger Roll to run in Betway Bowl at Aintree with Jack Kennedy likely to partner him
Irish Mirror 1 hour ago Press Association
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Jack Kennedy could get the leg up on Tiger Roll for the first time since October 2017 when the dual Grand National winner runs in the Betway Bowl at Aintree next week.
Speculation over where the five-times Cheltenham Festival winner would next run ended on Friday morning when he was not declared for the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
The 11-year-old returned to top form at Cheltenham when running out an easy winner of the cross country chase, his third victory in the race.
Tiger Roll to miss Irish Grand National and run at Aintree
By Frank KeoghBBC Sport
Tiger Roll won the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last month by 18 lengths
Two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll will miss Monday s Irish National and run at Aintree next week instead.
The 11-year-old, who won for a fifth time at the Cheltenham Festival last month, is to race in the Betway Bowl on Thursday.
Tiger Roll was withdrawn in March from the Grand National at Aintree, which is on 10 April.
Owners Michael and Eddie O Leary said they were unhappy with the weight the horse had been allocated.