THE Grand National looks like it could be run on heavy ground as the rain continues to pour at Aintree.
Which is good news for the five horses below, who simply love it when the going gets tough.
PA:Press AssociationThe National could be a muddy affair with the rain coming down at Aintree[/caption]
Mud, puddles and battles of attrition are exactly what these runners relish.
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So bear them in mind when making your pick for the race, which will be run at 4pm on Saturday.
Limerick Lace
20-1
Form figures of 1-1 on ground described as heavy bode well for this recent Cheltenham Festival winner’s chances.
She’s stepping up over a mile in trip on what could be horrid ground.
But if anyone knows what their horse is capable of then it’s JP McManus, who has reportedly booked his No1 rider Mark Walsh for the ride.
That’s significant when you consider he also has the heavily-fancied I Am Maximus and Meetingofthewaters.
Limerick Lace was second to Troyton winner Coko Beach over 3m of soft to heavy last November.
She’s unexposed at the trip, carries a nice enough weight of 10st7lbs and looks progressive with results of 1-2-1-1 this season.
Nassalam
20-1
The Welsh Grand National winner looked absolutely born for heavy ground when routing his sorry Welsh Grand National rivals by 34 lengths last December.
Trainer Gary Moore has been praying for rain and finally got it – even though he thinks the handicapper has been overly harsh.
There’s no doubt Nassalam must run another career best to have a chance of winning.
But he’s unbeaten on heavy and provided the Gold Cup didn’t leave a mark should give a great account.
Ain’t That A Shame
66-1
Amateur jockey David Maxwell gets the ride on the Henry de Bromhead-trained runner – and the two could hit it off in the mud.
Rachael Blackmore was in the saddle when the ten-year-old won the Grade 3 Thyestes at Gowran Park on heavy in January.
They touched down in second three out, got the lead two out then plugged on gamely after the last, extending away powerfully from Willie Mullins’ Glengouly.
And while the form hasn’t exactly been franked since, Any Second Now was down in eighth that day before almost winning the Irish Grand National on April 1.
Galia Des Liteaux
33-1
Dan Skelton is fighting it out with Paul Nicholls in the bid to win his first jumps trainer title.
The National could decide the three-horse race, which also includes Mullins, and Skelton has just one runner entered.
Step forward Galia Des Liteaux, who’s mostly been kept to mares races this season.
The one time she mixed it with both, in a Grade 3 at Warwick, she finished runner up to Emma Lavelle’s solid chaser My Silver Lining, who was runner-up in Haydock’s Grand National Trial and a decent third in the Midlands Grand National.
That suggests Galia Des Liteaux, who already has Harry Skelton booked, will enjoy a step up in trip on ground she’s won on twice, including at Grade 2 level.
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