Rembrandt team hoping for rain

Connections of Sir Rembrandt are keeping their fingers crossed for rain during the build-up to the John Smith’s Grand National.

Robert Alner’s admirable 10-year-old thrives with a bit of cut in the ground and found the going much too quick in the Cheltenham Gold Cup earlier this month.

However, the gelding still stayed on in good style to take seventh place – 13 lengths behind War Of Attrition – to set him up nicely for the four-and-a-half-mile marathon at Aintree.

“It looks like the ground will be in our favour, which would be excelent news,” said owner Alan Hordle.

“I understand he is in great form after his Cheltenham run, which I was delighted with.

“He been such an unlucky horse over the years and he deserves to win a huge race like this.”

Although Sir Rembrandt was pulled up at Aintree in the Betfair Bowl last year, a niggling back injury was held responsible for that disappointing reverse.

“I think you can discount the last time he ran at Aintree because he had that injury, which has now been sorted,” explained Hordle

“Robert’s done a terrific job with him and it would also be a great story for Andy (Thornton), who had absolutely no luck whatsoever at Cheltenham this year.”

Sir Rembrandt, who finished runner-up to Best Mate in the 2004 Gold Cup and third behind Kicking King a year later, is a general 16-1 chance to win the Aintree feature.