Hedgehunter will be tough to beat - Walsh
Walsh senior, who sent out the heavily-backed Papillon to win the great race six years ago, saddles Rince Ri and Irish National runner-up Jack High.
He has Andrew McNamara and David Casey pencilled in respectively for Saturday’s spectacular.
While Jack High was last seen defeating Nil Desperandum by two and a half lengths at Down Royal in March, while 13-year-old Rince Ri boasts a proud record of 12 victories over obstacles.
Both are reported in grand order ahead of the four-mile-four-furlong hike sponsored by John Smith’s, with Walsh tentatively nominating Rince Ri as being his best chance of Aintree glory.
But even though Hedgehunter must carry a welter burden on the back of his admirable second place behind War Of Attrition in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the County Kildare hndler acknowledged that Willie Mullins’ charge will take some pegging back over the Aintree fences.
“Jack High’s in good order and there’s no problems, so is Rince Ri,” he said. “I think they’ve both got an outside chance.
“If I was still a jockey, I think I’d rather ride Rince Ri, who is a grand leaper and an Aintree type of horse.
“Rince Ri is a classy horse and would be every bit as good as him (Papillon) but he hasn’t won a race for a couple of years and is probably in the twilight of his career.
“I don’t think they can (beat Hedgehunter) but it’s not like the Gold Cup because it’s a wide-open race.
“Fifty-to-one shots and 66-1 shots win at Aintree that don’t win in other races.
“Everybody who lines up has a chance of winning the National but Hedgehunter, even with 11(st) 12(lb) is the one they all have to beat,” Walsh told At The Races.
Hedgehunter is as low as 4-1 with Coral to emulate the great Red Rum, who was the last horse to win back-to-back Nationals in 1974.
Sue Smith has high hopes for Ross Comm if he makes the cut.
The Bingley handler is keeping her fingers crossed her 10-year-old can sneak in at the foot of the handicap for the great race after delighting connections with a pleasing workout this morning.
And despite expressing a slight concern whether her charge will be able to handle the energy-sapping four-mile-four-furlong trip, Smith is confident of a profitable day out at Liverpool.
“He’s schooled this morning and seems in superb order with himself,” she said.
“We are now on our way leading up to the Grand National - albeit if we get in - and he should go there in very good form.
“We’re hopeful (that he gets in the race) but you still don’t know until the confirmation stage tomorrow.
“He’s an excellent jumper and he’s on a very good weight, but quite whether he’ll get the trip in the Grand National remains to be seen.”
Barry Geraghty has yet to decide on his ride in the National. His agent Ciaran O’Toole said: “Barry has yet to make his mind up but we will have a better idea of where we stand early next week.”
Geraghty triumphed aboard Monty’s Pass in 2003 and rode the same horse in the last two renewals of the great race - finishing fourth in 2004, and 16th behind Hedgehunter last year.
However, fit-again jockey John Cullen is dreaming of Aintree glory aboard Colnel Rayburn.
Cullen has been out of action since February 23 after suffering a shoulder injury when he was brought down aboard Castle Kevin at Thurles.
The Irish rider was left sidelined for the Cheltenham Festival as a consequence but is now back to full fitness ad is set to make his return to the track over hurdles at Gowran Park on Wednesday.
And after Paul Nolan declared Colnel Rayburn as an intended runner in the National, Cullen is set to come in for the ride on the 10-year-old, who was eventually pulled up in last year’s renewal after being hampered at Becher’s on the second circuit.
“I’m 100% again now and have been doing everything I can so as not to get fat,” said Cullen.
“I’ll be schooling Colnel Rayburn on Tuesday and should have a few rides over timber at Gowran the day after.
“Colnel is in great shape and looks a really good horse for the National. He’s improving all the time and has got so much scope.
“I was obviously very disappointed about Cheltenham Festival but I’m looking forward to ths a lot.”
Another Rum’s participation is likely to hinge on a successful workout this morning.
As long as the eight-year-old catches the eye when put through his paces at Downpatrick racecourse, he should get the chance to shine in the world’s biggest steeplechase rather than wait for the Scottish equivalent at Ayr two weeks later.
However, County Antrim trainer Ian Duncan acknowledged soft ground would be detrimental o his gelding’s chances of success.
“We are going to leave it until the last minute after he’s done his final piece of work,” said Duncan.
“Preparations have not been ideal because it’s been so wet here for the last month.
“Soft ground would not suit him but if he does well tomorrow, we’ll probably go to Aintree instead of the Scottish National.”
Coral bet: 4-1 Hedgehunter, 5-1 Clan Royal, 12-1 Dun Doire, Numbersixvalverde, Innox, 14-1 Sir Rembrandt, 16-1 Cornish Rebel, Jack High, 20-1 Garvivonnian, Lord Of Illusion, Royal Auclair, Silver Birch, 25-1 bar.
* United was a big disappointment in the Group Three Prix Hypothese over hurdles at Auteuil yesterday.
The Lucy Wadham-trained mare could not recover from a mistake at one of the flights down the back straight.
Leighton Aspell was easy on her afterwards and she was soon detached from the other seven runners as Royal Athenia went on to make all the running.
