Racing: Pitman hopes ready for Aintree test

Mark Pitman is hoping to uphold the family tradition in Saturday’s Martell Grand National.

His mother Jenny Pitman won the Aintree spectacular twice with Corbiere in 1983 and with Royal Athlete 12 years later.

And this year Pitman is hoping that his unconventional method of running his two Grand National hope - Smarty and Browjoshy - over hurdles will pay dividends.

Smarty, runner-up when he and winner Red Marauder were the only horses to complete without mishap, has had three runs in novice hurdles this season and two over fences including when runner-up in the Tote Becher Chase over the National course.

He was partnered by Timmy Murphy last year but Tom Scudamore will be in the plate this time. And he rode Smarty in work on Wednesday.

Jim Culloty, who had his finest hour when winning the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup on Best Mate earlier this month, will take the ride on Browjoshy.

Browjoshy has tackled two staying handicap hurdles on his last two starts to try and rekindle his enthusiasm for the game.

‘‘I’m very pleased with them. The preparation has gone very well with them both. They seem in good form,’’ the Upper Lambourn trainer said.

‘‘The last week where you are in the run up to the race is obviously the most nerve-wracking. You’ve done the majority of the hard work and it should be just a case of giving them a couple of blows and get them there.

‘‘Obviously if something goes wrong at this stage is the difference from being there on the day or not, but it’s gone great at the moment.

‘‘Browjoshy has been over hurdles as he’d just lost that competitive edge. He seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

‘‘The last time I was delighted with him he was running on really strongly at the death giving away lumps of weight and he was only beaten four lengths.

‘‘With Smarty I decided because he had not won over hurdles as a young horse that this year we could run him in novice hurdles and be better off at the weights.

‘‘He is rated 133 which means if I run him in an ordinary race he has to lump 12st if I put him in one of those top-class races he’s not quite quick enough.

‘‘He’s a really good staying handicap chaser, but you can’t run him in the conditional chases.’’