O'Neill hoping Aintree is the Royal key

Jonjo O’Neill is relying on the “Aintree factor” as Clan Royal tries to make it third-time lucky in tomorrow’s John Smith’s Grand National.

The 11-year-old will be lining up in the four-and-a-half-mile marathon for the third successive year after finishing second in 2004 and being unluckily carried out 12 months ago.

Clan Royal was in front and travelling strongly for Tony McCoy when he collided with a loose horse at Becher’s on the second circuit and has been heavily-backed for this year’s renewal.

Despite his bad luck in the National itself, the JP McManus-owned gelding has won the Topham and Becher over tomorrow’s daunting obstacles.

But O’Neill admits that on the book, his runner is no match for last year’s winner Hedgehunter.

“Of course we are looking forward to it,” he said. “He’s had a grand prep up until now – everything has gone as planned and he is in great old order. I have no excuses for him.

“To be fair last year’s winner ran a blinder in the Gold Cup and if you take that form literally we have no business running because he is a different class horse altogether.

“Our fellow is not a good horse, we know that, but you bring the Aintree factor into it and then he is a good horse round here.

“There is not just Hedgehunter, there are a dozen other better horses than him in the race really but let’s hope he gets into a good rhythm and he jumps well and he puts up a good show.

“Going literally on form he has no business running but that would be the same for the last couple of years.

“Hopefully he will relax a bit more this year – I think he will as he has run a bit more so he won’t be as fresh as he was last year – and hopefully things will fall into place.

“We say every year that we are due a bit of luck but we don’t always get it! Hopefully he will put up a good show and we will all be happy.”

McManus added: “It has been three years since Clan Royal won a chase (over regulation fences) and he has had an uninterrupted preparation but I just wonder if he is good enough.

“He is another year older now and people are living in the past a little bit.”

Clan Royal is the 5-1 favourite with Coral for the world’s greatest steeplechase, with Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Hedgehunter a 6-1 chance to register back-to-back National wins.

The last horse to achieve the feat was Red Rum in 1974 and the Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old will have to defy top weight of 11st 12lb if he is to emulate that legendary runner.

“He is in good shape and seems to have come out of Cheltenham well – this is his time of year,” said Mullins.

“The race might have taken the edge of him but I thought he had a good each-way chance in the Gold Cup and he proved me right.

“He has come out of it much better than he did the Lexus or the Hennessy. Saying that, he didn’t impress me in the paddock before Cheltenham, so perhaps looks aren’t everything.

“He travelled over in midweek and has settled in fine – there have been no problems at all.

“I am really pleased to see the sun has come out to dry the ground as better ground is a great help to him, especially with the weight.

“It is hard to compare how I feel to last year but I am just hoping he comes back safe and sound.”