Mangan's hopes high that Monty can be a National hero

JIMMY MANGAN is laid-back by nature and rarely gets flustered. Come 3.45 on Saturday, however, his heart will surely miss a beat as the field swivels to face the starter for the 2003 Grand National at Aintree.

Mangan’s Monty’s Pass, the pride of Conna, Co. Cork, will step up to the tape alongside 39 other hopefuls and, less than ten minutes later, we’ll know whether this hugely popular and colourful character will be taking his place in the folklore of National Hunt racing’s most spectacular ’chase.

Mangan’s a realist and nobody’s fool. He’s not about to make bold predictions regarding the hardest and, arguably, the most cherished event in the calendar.