Russell: Stop moaning and tackle Irish challenge

LUCINDA RUSSELL has vowed to embrace the challenge of stopping Irish runners claiming all the big spring prizes and warned that nothing is to be gained from moaning.

This week has been dominated with discussion about the amount of Irish entries in the Randox Grand National; if the race was staged today, 27 of the 34 runners would come from stables across the water. It has again led to a gloomy prognosis about British jumps racing.

Russell, however, sees things differently. And, in many respects, she is the envy of those Irish stables as along with her partner Peter Scudamore, she trains the reigning Grand National hero Corach Rambler and is bullish about his prospects of successfully defending his title. Corach Rambler, who has been allotted an attractive weight of 11st 2lb for Aintree in April, will have a racecourse gallop before contesting the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month. The main focus of his campaign, though, is the National.

‘We have to step up, don’t we?’ said Russell. ‘It’s up to us to say we have to start buying some of the best horses. The Irish are ahead of us. The Irish owners and trainers are good at buying good horses, and we have to do the same. At one point the West Country was dominant, at another it was Yorkshire. So it’s up to us. Rather than moaning, let’s do something about it.’ Having also trained One For Arthur to win at Aintree, Russell knows what is required in the coming weeks. She reports Corach Rambler to be physically ‘heading into the zone’ and is embracing all that comes with it. ‘I just enjoy it, it’s why I do it,’ she said. ‘To prepare horses for big races is much more exciting than for small handicaps.’