Tom Mullins is waiting to see whether enough rain will fall at Aintree Racecourse before committing his Grade Three John Smith’s Grand National hope Made In Taipan (50/1 with totesport) to the £925,000 four and half-mile showpiece on Saturday, April 10.
The Paul and Frances Duffin-owned eight-year-old, allotted 11st 4lb for the big race, pleased connections in the two and a half-mile Grade Three An Uaimh Chase at Navan on March 27 when finishing runner-up behind Glencove Marina, to whom he was conceding 8lb.
Mullins revealed this morning: “We are just querying Made In Taipan’s John Smith’s Grand National participation at the moment - if it comes up soft we would be inclined to go but he does need that cut in the ground. He is very well after his last race, we are just waiting on the green light before committing, so fingers crossed for the rain because his owners are very keen to run.
“I was really happy with his effort at Navan. I didn’t expect Glencove Marina to run as well as he did but we were giving him 8lb and I was very happy with that. Rare Bob was well beaten in third and the others were a long way back. He ran up to his mark and showed that he is in good form. He is very fit and happy in himself at the moment.”
Made In Taipan has high-class form over two miles and was only a half-length second to two-mile champion Big Zeb at Navan in November. Last season, he proved himself a classy novice over the minimum trip when third to Kalahari King in the Grade One John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree’s John Smith’s Grand National Meeting.
But despite a question mark hanging over his stamina, the gelding’s ability to see out four and a half miles in the world’s most famous steeplechase is something that Mullins is hopeful about.
He said: “The fact that he settles better in his races now will help him have a chance of seeing out the trip. It is a bit of a worry, there is no doubt, but there is the old adage that two and half-mile horses can win the National at Aintree.
“He is a horse with that bit of class you need to have a chance of winning the National. He hasn’t won a Grade One but I will say that he can win a Grade One some day when the ground is soft, around this time of year. To be up to that class he needs his ground conditions.”
The John Smith’s Grand National is the feature contest of the fantastic three-day John Smith’s Grand National Meeting at Aintree - Thursday, April 8 to Saturday, April 10.
