A significant gamble on 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition was derailed as trainer Mouse Morris pulled the horse from the John Smith’s Grand National after expressing unhappiness with the 10-year-old’s well-being.
Totesport, the John Smith’s Grand National meeting’s official betting partner, had seen a considerable amount of money for the gelding over the weekend - down to 14/1 - but he was officially scratched from the race this morning.
Morris and owner Michael O’Leary who races under the Gigginstown House Stud banner will now rely on last year’s Irish Grand National winner Hear The Echo, who shortened to 14/1 from 20/1 and will be partnered by Davy Russell.
Morris said yesterday: “We were just not 100% happy with the horse this morning but at least we have a good second string to our bow.”
The defection of War Of Attrition, combined with the news that Ruby Walsh has committed to ride My Will, sees the Paul Nicholls-trained hope shorten to 7/1 clear favourite with totesport.
In further news, Dominic Elsworth’s hopes of riding Darkness in Saturday’s £900,000 showpiece hang in the balance following a scan on the shoulder he damaged in a fall at Towcester last week. The rider suffered severe bruising and expects to know more tomorrow.
Another jockey hoping to prove his fitness is Denis O’Regan, who heads to Wetherby today for five rides. O’Regan, who is set to partner the well-fancied Black Apalachi in the big one at Aintree, hurt his back in a fall at Ayr and has not ridden in public for a week.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has announced that Sam Waley-Cohen will ride Ollie Magern in the John Smith’s Grand National. The amateur has a remarkable record over the big fences, having twice won the John Smith’s Foxhunters’ on Katarino and landed the Joh Smith’s Topham Chase on Liberthine. He also rode the latter to take fifth in the 2007 John Smith’s Grand National.
