Trainer Lucinda Russell has not decided which route Corach Rambler will take to the Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse. While connections of last year's winner Noble Yeats are looking forward to this weekend's Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.
Russell's nine-year-old came late under Derek Fox to grab victory in the Ultima Handicap Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival. The gelded son of Jeremy then ran a similar late-finishing race in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November – but this time had to settle for fourth. Those efforts have Russell believing he is an ideal candidate for the Aintree marathon on April 15 – a race the Scottish-based trainer won with One For Arthur in 2017.
Corach Rambler is currently entered in this Saturday's Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park, although stable-mate Ahoy Senor is similarly engaged. Ahoy Senor is on course for a crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup in March but could bypass this weekend's contest in favour of the Denman Chase at Newbury.
Other potential options for Corach Rambler includ Haydock Park’s Grand National Trial on February 18 and closer to the Kinross handler's base, the bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso on March 4 – a race which has been used as a prep for National winners Ballabriggs and Many Clouds en route to Aintree.
Russell said: “Corach Rambler is in fantastic form. You know that Scu (Peter Scudamore) rides him all the time and he gets off and says how tired he is.
“He’s a lovely horse and he wins through his personality as much as his ability. He’s a horse that loves coming from off the pace in a big handicap as we saw in the Ultima and for that reason we’re quite keen to go to Aintree for the Grand National. We have to decide how we get there and we have the option of the Grand National Trial at Haydock, we have the option of the Premier Chase at Kelso. We were going to go to the Fleur De Lys (at Lingfield) but as soon as I saw all the inspections, I pulled the plug on that.
“I don’t want him to go up too much in the handicap as I think he’s off quite a nice weight for Aintree, so it’s just a question of how we get him there.”
She added: “He’s in at Cheltenham and there’s probably a question mark on him running there. That said, if the race cut up and Ahoy Senor went to Newbury, it leaves the way open for Corach and although he’s only run there twice, he’s unbeaten round Cheltenham and we know he likes the track. It could be that we do Cheltenham then Kelso. I would quite like to support the Kelso race and the timing is quite nice with it being five weeks before the Grand National.”
One horse who is set to line-up in this weekend's Cotswold Chase on Cheltenham Festival Trials day is last year's Aintree hero Noble Yeats. And jockey Sean Bowen believes the race will be informative for connections ahead of a possible double glory bid in the Gold Cup and in the Grand National again.
Bowen, who is currently second in the championship standings behind Brian Hughes, is now the regular partner of trainer Emmet Mullins’ stable star following Sam Waley-Cohen's retirement from the saddle after his final fairytale win in the Grand National last April.
Bowen has since ridden the now eight-year-old Noble Yeats twice and has won both – a Listed event at Wexford and the Grade Two Many Clouds over the Mildmay fences back at Aintree in November.
Noble Yeats is 7-1 second favourite with Coral and Skybet behind the Willie Mullins-trained 13-8 market leader Galopin Des Champs for the Gold Cup. And this weekend he will take on some top-notch Grade One performers in Dan Skelton's Protektorat, who was third in last season's Gold Cup and won the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, and former King George VI Chase hero Frodon.
Bowen said: “It will be the first time I’ve sat on him since Aintree and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve not heard too much from Emmet as he likes to keep himself to himself, but if he is going for a race like this, I put full faith in Emmet getting him right for the day.
“I think he is one of those horses that never overdoes anything. I suppose at Wexford he did what he needed to, and with a horse like that, you never really know how much they have got left in the locker until they have a proper fight on their hands. I suppose Saturday will show us how good he really is as he will be having a proper race there. To be honest he probably does need to take another step forward, but again I think he is capable of that given how he never overdoes things. He is a very straightforward ride and he doesn’t do much until you ask him. Hopefully there is plenty left in the locker when I need it on Saturday.”
On getting the ride on the Robert Waley-Cohen-owned Noble Yeats, Bowen added: “I’m in a very lucky position. It’s hard when you are freelance to find a horse that takes you to the next level. I’m very grateful to Robert (Waley-Cohen, owner), Sam and Emmet for giving me this chance.”
