Paddy Brennan, who rides last year's runner-up Saint Are in Saturday's Grand National, received a perfect eve-of-race boost when emerging as the main beneficiary of 1-5 favourite Vautour's shock fall in Friday's Melling Chase. Ruby Walsh was enjoying an armchair ride on the Vautour until the brilliant Cheltenham Festival winner tumbled on landing at the ninth fence, triggering an audible gasp from the packed Aintree stands.
Walsh, who teams up with Sir Des Champs in the world's most famous steeplechase 24 hours later, thankfully emerged unscathed from the fall. With the hot favourite out of the picture Brennan got to work on God's Own, who comfortably had the measure of Al Ferof on the run to the line.
Brennan has been enjoying himself at Liverpool this week. Thursday's success on Cue Card handsomely making up for the pair's tumble when cruising in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month. His National conveyance Saint Are is seeking to go one better after beating all but Many Clouds 12 months ago. Saint Are's trainer Tom George said: "We just hope everything goes well on the day, he gets some luck in running and then we'll see what happens. "I haven't thought about what it would be like to win it. I know what it's like to be second and it's a bit of a lonely place to be."
Walsh also hit the deck in the Topham Chase, run over the Grand National fences won by the Jonjo O'Neill trained EastLake. O'Neill and Geraghty combine forces with last year's National fifth Shutthefrontdoor on Saturday. Many Clouds heads the ante-post market at 7-1 for the 1 million pound (1.4 million dollars) showcase with his trainer Oliver Sherwood reporting last year's winner in good shape for his attempt to become the first since Red Rum in 1974 to win the race in successive years.
"The talking is very nearly done and at the moment, we're still living the dream," he told Britain's Press Association. "He looks and feels the exact same horse as 12 months ago. I don't feel he has improved and he certainly hasn't decreased in any way." Jockey Leighton Aspell, who also won the 2014 National on Pineau De Re, will become the first rider to win the National three years on the trot should Many Clouds succeed. "It would be a marvellous achievement for Leighton as it's never been done. "His confidence is sky high at the minute and he is very confident in the horse, too, which always helps - especially in a National."
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