Great and all as the Irish, Scottish and Welsh versions are, nothing quite compares with the Aintree Grand National.

Connections of Defi Du Seuil remain in no rush to map out a second-half-of-the-campaign programme for last season’s champion juvenile hurdler.

Barry Geraghty has announced he will be fit to ride at next week's Randox Health Grand National Festival at Aintree.

It appears increasingly likely that Crabbie’s Grand National winner Many Clouds may attempt to do the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup-Aintree double after his intended prep race was scuppered by the weather at Kelso on Saturday.

Considering that he had just scuppered a sporting fairytale, it was warming to see just how genuinely chuffed the racing world was for Leighton Aspell, who had scripted his own tale of the wholly unexpected at the Grand National and appeared not quite able to take it all in.

Barry Geraghty expects to find out on Tuesday if the Punchestown Festival is a realistic target for his comeback from a broken leg.

Oliver Sherwood insists he has his feet firmly on the ground as Many Clouds attempts to take the next step up the chasing ladder in today’s BetBright Cup Chase at Cheltenham.

The New One faces five rivals in the inaugural running of the £100,000 Betfair Price Rush Hurdle at Haydock this afternoon.

Yorkshire toasted its first Cheltenham Festival winner of the week when Hawk High swooped in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Leading Cheltenham contenders Big Buck’s and Silviniaco Conti could enjoy a workout after racing at Exeter on Friday, if the ground is suitable.

Imperial Commander heads a list of 49 horses left in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday following the five-day stage.

Trainer Donald McCain is hoping to be triple-handed in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 6.

Trainer Colin Tizzard has challenged Cue Card’s rivals to take him on from the front in today’s Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sam Waley-Cohen is taking nothing for granted as Long Run has his final run before defending his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown in tomorrow’s Betfair Denman Chase.

DUAL Ryanair Chase winner Albertas Run is set to make his reappearance this month in one of two possible races.

GRAND National-winning owner John Halewood led the tributes to Aintree legend Ginger McCain, who died yesterday, aged 80, after a short illness.

Ballabriggs was an emotional winner of the John Smith's Grand National for Donald McCain, son of Aintree legend Ginger McCain, the trainer of Red Rum.

BLACKPOOL Billy is one of the shining lights on an informative afternoon at Ayr today.

Paul Nicholls is confident Kauto Star is in the form of his life ahead of his bid for a remarkable fifth victory in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Tony McCoy is to ride Kauto Star in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day after Noel Fehily ruled himself out.

Tony McCoy is to ride Kauto Star in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on December 26 after Noel Fehily ruled himself out.

TRAINER Paul Nicholls reports Denman to be at peak form ahead of his bid to become the first horse to win the Hennessy Gold Cup for a third time at Newbury today.

NICKY HENDERSON is ready to let Barry Geraghty get the leg up on Burton Port in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury — despite the fact it would mean him carrying overweight.

Tony McCoy was out of luck on his first ride when he returned to the bread and butter of jumps racing at Southwell.

WAYWARD PRINCE provided Dougie Costello with the biggest success of his career in the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree yesterday.

Wayward Prince provided Dougie Costello with the biggest success of his career in the Grade One John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.

NICKY HENDERSON already believes Punchestowns and Long Run are the best two chasers he has ever trained.

A last flight blunder by odds-on favourite Screaming Brave allowed Corredor Sun to pounce in the Bet On toteplacepot At totesport.com Juvenile Hurdle at Warwick today.

Jonjo O’Neill will allow the dust to settle on Albertas Run’s return to form at Ascot over the weekend before making definite plans for the 2008 RSA Chase winner.

Trainer Donald McCain reports Cloudy Lane and Idle Talk to be in fine shape ahead of next month’s John Smith’s Grand National.

Cloudy Lane is likely to go straight for the John Smith’s Grand National following his first-fence fall at Kelso on Saturday.

THE Eugene O’Sullivan-trained Juveigneur booked his passage for next month’s Cheltenham Foxhunters by recording a facile success in the open lightweight at yesterday’s Kildorrery point-to-point, run under the auspices of the Duhallow Foxhounds on the Vaughan family’s lands at Rockmills Stud where it has been staged since 1979.

Rambling Minster jumped his way into the John Smith’s Grand National picture with a splendid staying performance under trainer Keith Reveley’s son James in the Blue Square Gold Cup Chase at Haydock.

OWNER Trevor Hemmings loves to have a winner at his local track and Coe can prove the apple of his eye with victory in Haydock’s feature race of the National Hunt season.

DENMAN will face six rivals at Kempton today including King George VI runner-up Albertas Run, whose connections are hoping the ground is not too testing.

Recent Haydock winner Coe could return to the Merseyside track for the Blue Square Gold Cup on February 14.

Pat Murphy will bid to realise the dream of the late George Palmer with Maktu after the seven-year-old outstayed his rivals in the Lingley Caterers Handicap Hurdle at Hereford.

There was a turn up in the Blue Square Champion Hurdle Trial when Songe lowered the colours of some classy individuals at Haydock.

Grand National hopeful Cloudy Lane will have his next start at Haydock in the Peter Marsh Chase on January 17.

CONNECTIONS of Albertas Run are eyeing a tilt at the Letheby & Christopher Chase following the eight-year-old’s fine second in the King George VI Chase at Kempton last month.

CRANKY Corner might be part of Willie Mullins’ team for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham following a smooth success in the Welcome To 2009 Pro-Am Flat Race at Fairyhouse yesterday.