State Of Play on National trail

State Of Play is set to rejoin Evan Williams’ stable in a few weeks’ time to be trained exclusively for a fourth attempt at the John Smith’s Grand National.

The 2006 Hennessy Gold Cup winner has graced the Aintree spectacular for the last three years, finishing fourth, third and fourth respectively.

He has spent the summer with his owners and, like last season, the Grand National will be the 11-year-old’s only race of the campaign.

“He’s grand. He’s doing his road work at Mr and Mrs William Rucker’s place,” said Williams.

“It will be the same plan as usual to go back for the Grand National in the spring.

“He’ll be back with us after he’s finished his road work. We are always eagerly awaiting his reappearance back at the stable.

“Probably in the next few weeks he’ll get here and it will be the usual countdown to the spring with him.

“It will be the same plan as last year – straight to the National. It’s been magical the last three years. If we can get him back there in the same kind of form, then that is what we will try to do.

“It’s great to be there and create our own bit of history and to have a horse good enough to do that.”