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Don't Push It in form to repeat

RACING: AINTREE NEWS: DON’T PUSH IT attempts to become the first horse since Red Rum to win back-to-back English Grand Nationals…

Fri Apr 08 2011 - 01:00

RACING: AINTREE NEWS:DON'T PUSH IT attempts to become the first horse since Red Rum to win back-to-back English Grand Nationals when he faces a maximum field at Aintree tomorrow afternoon (4.15pm).

Plenty have put up a bold fight in a bid to win the famous race again, but all have failed.

The victory of Jonjo O’Neill’s Don’t Push It provided perennial champion jockey Tony McCoy with his first win in the race from his 15th attempt, landing a huge public gamble.

There are plenty of punters who think he will follow up and some bookmakers have him as third-favourite at 12 to 1.

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O’Neill issued an upbeat bulletin ahead of his bid for history.

“He’s in great form, he’s had a good prep and he’s very well in himself,” he said

McCoy added: “He seems in good shape and I thought he ran a nice race in the Pertemps at Cheltenham – his form has been progressing.”

Silver By Nature has been talked of in terms of a Grand National horse for a couple of years now and connections have been persuaded to take a chance this year.

Jimmy Moffatt’s Chief Dan George just missed out by two for a run 12 months ago after he had won at Cheltenham and while he’s not in the same form this year, Moffatt feels he is coming to hand.

“He missed out by two last year and (handicapper) Phil Smith told me that if he had got in, he would probably have gone off favourite,” said Moffatt.

There were three withdrawals at the 48-hour declaration stage, including the Irish-trained duo of Northern Alliance and Our Monty, while Nigel Twiston-Davies also took out Roll Along.

That means Nicky Richards’ Skippers Brig and Adrian Maguire’s Golden Kite are guaranteed a run.

Elsewhere, a cracking contest is in order for this year’s renewal of the Aintree Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s 2010 champion hurdler Binocular is set to be taken on by Donald McCain’s Peddlers Cross, runner-up in this year’s Champion Hurdle.

Binocular missed the defence of his crown after treatment for an allergy failed to clear his system, and he steps up to two-and-a-half miles for the first time.

Peddlers Cross lost his unbeaten record last month but he did not go down without a fight to Hurricane Fly and he also has the advantage of winning over a similar trip here 12 months ago.

The Irish challenge is made up of the Willie Mullins-trained Thousand Stars, fourth in the Champion Hurdle, and Tom Mullins’ Oscar Dan Dan.