Williams mulling national bid

Evan Williams has warned that State Of Play is only “50-50” to run in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree.

The seven-year-old is as low as 16-1 with totesport for the April 14 feature after finishing sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but Williams is also considering other options at the National meeting.

“He has come out of the Gold Cup exceptionally well and there is no doubt about it that the Grand National looks very attractive, but at the end of the day I will sit down with Mr and Mrs Rucker and weigh up the pros and cons,” he told the Racing Post.

“He is only a seven-year-old and touch wood he will always get the chance to run in the Grand National at some stage but perhaps he might be not badly treated this year.

“It is 50-50 and we will go through everything. He is in incredibly good form and he will go to Liverpool as long as everything stays as it is but it is all dependent on what else is going to run.

“Can we beat Exotic Dancer and Turpin Green if they run in the Betfair Bowl?

“If Hedgehunter runs in the Grand National can we beat a horse who has been second in the Gold Cup?

“It is terribly difficult to know what to do.”