Longshanks to resume full training

Grand National seventh Longshanks is about to resume full training after recovering from a tendon problem.

The 10-year-old ran a creditable race behind Silver Birch in the Aintree spectacular in April and trainer Kim Bailey will again be aiming the gelding at the John Smith’s-sponsored marathon.

“Good news on Longshanks, whose tendons were scanned this week. He now returns to full training after spending the last two months walking,” said Bailey.

“Longshanks will be heading back to Aintree for yet another try to win the John Smith’s Grand National in April, now it is all a question as to whether he has a race before then or not.

“Hopefully he will be high enough in the weights to get a run, although by finishing seventh last year he came down 3lb. If he had pulled up he would have stayed on the same mark,” the trainer told his official website, www.kimbaileyracing.com.

Longshanks is a best-priced 40-1 for the National.