Horse Racing

Team-Building Exercise – Trainers Announce First Jockey Choices For the Grand National

With only three more sleeps until it is finally time to be off for the John Smith’s Grand National, it is high time for the trainers to pair up their charges with some serious riding talent. With about half of the prospective starters saddled with partners in crime, the Grand National is shaping up to be a true battle of the titans.

Liam Treadwell, who last year raced to victory on outsider Mon Mome, has agreed to pilot Paul Nicholls-trained Nozic, who is not quite the underdog as last year’s mount but still far from being a favourite.

Treadwell’s 2009 winner Mon Mome has been paired with Aidan Coleman. Coleman, who is a regular jockey for the Williams Stable, recorded his most recent win at Towcester last Sunday, when he was first to cross the line atop Sawpit Supreme, another Williams-trained prodigy.

Ruby Walsh, recently crowned the winningmost jockey in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, has committed to riding Nicholls’ charge and joint favourite Big Fella Thanks, who took a 1 ½ lengths win at the Raymond Mould Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury on 6th March this year.

Another Nicholls hopeful, Tricky Trickster, will be saddled by Barry Geraghty. Geraghty recorded two wins at this year Cheltenham Festival – leading the field on Big Zeb in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and dominating the turf with Spirit River in the Coral Cup.

Paul Carberry will assume responsibility for King John’s Castle, Paul Townend is due to start on Arbor Supreme and Paul Moloney has agreed to mount State Of Play.
Hot prospectors Vic Venturi and Comply Or Die, trained by Dessie Hughes and David Pipe respectively, are still without jockeys; as is 2007 Grand National winner and Elliott-trained Silver Birch. A second Pipe stable mate, The Package – who slid into the line up when the first contenders withdrew -, is also still without a rider.

Trainer Paul Murphy is still reluctant to announce a jockey for his entry Mr. Pointment, as word has it he is still contemplating to withdraw him from the Grand National and enter his charge Cerium in his stead. However, since the maximum number of runners permitted is 44 horses, Murphy may still be hoping on enough withdrawals and drop-outs to secure his student’s position on the track.

The confirmed jockeys riding in the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National thus far are as follows: