McCoy sides with Colbert Station for Grand National

Tony McCoy has decided to ride the Ted Walsh-trained Colbert Station in Saturday’s John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree.

The champion jockey faced a difficult choice as his other JP McManus-owned option was the Jonjo O’Neill’s Sunnyhillboy, beaten by the narrowest margin in National history 12 months ago by Neptune Collonges.

However, with Sunnyhillboy carrying 10lb more this year, McCoy has gone for the potential improver.

McCoy told the Telegraph: “It’s been very hard but after to speaking to JP McManus, who owns both of them, this morning we’ve decided I’ll ride Colbert Station.

“I can’t ride both of them and while he does not have the Aintree experience of Sunnyhillboy he looks less exposed to the handicapper and has a proper racing weight.”

Walsh also runs Seabass, third last year and once again partnered by his daughter, Katie.