McNamara likely to ride Clan Royal in Grand National

Jonjo O’Neill has revealed John Smith’s Grand National regular Clan Royal will have a new partner when he has one last attempt at the Aintree spectacular.

The 12-year-old has been placed twice and was agonisingly carried out in 2005 when leading and travelling strongly at Becher’s on the second circuit.

Tony McCoy has been his partner for the last two seasons but JT McNamara, an expert in the point-to-point field and well-known as the rider of the evergreen Spot Thedifference, is likely to be on board on April 14.

“Clan Royal will be there, it will be his fourth National,” said O’Neill. “He seems in good form, but he might just be a bit long in the tooth now - maybe he has had his best chance, but he is in good form and he deserves to be there.

“He crashed out early in the Becher Chase and he didn’t like that and we then ran him at Ascot and he didn’t really want to know.

“He has been with Enda Bolger who has had him hunting and John Thomas (McNamara) has been riding him at home. I think he is going to ride him in the National. Hopefully that might revitalise him a little bit,” he said.

“I’m not sure what Tony (McCoy) will ride now as I think he was going to be on Far From Trouble, but unfortunately he is injured.”

Clan Royal is a general 25-1 chance for the Grand National.