SMITHS KNOW THE ANSWER

Husband-and-wife team can complete another Grand plan

THERE’S an upset in the offing in the 2018 Randox Health Grand National at Aintree today — I JUST KNOW (nap).

Five years ago, Sue and Harvey Smith, the husbandand-wife training team based at High Eldwick in West Yorkshire, saddled Auroras Encore (below) to a 66-1 shock in the world’s greatest steeplechase.

And the pair have another exciting candidate in up-and-coming stayer I Just Know.

The eight-year-old was bought to tackle steeplechases over a distance of ground, so it’s no surprise that he was no great shakes as a hurdler.

But I Just Know showed plenty of promise for the future when tackling the larger obstacles last winter, landing handicap chases at Hexham, Doncaster and Catterick from his seven outings.

This season, the gelded son of Robin Des Pres - a stallion who imparts stamina into his offspring – has continued his progress. After two runs at Carlisle in October and November, I Just Know stepped up to three miles and six furlongs for the North Yorkshire Grand National at Catterick two months later. And it was there that he showed his potential for this afternoon’s test. Racing at the head of affairs, my selection gave an assured round of jumping and powered up the home straight to score by 16 lengths. The Smiths then gave I Just Know a spin over hurdles – he finished second at Uttoxeter for Saturdays ago – to make sure he strips at his fittest today. The Yorkshire challenger is a stone higher in the weights as a result of his Catterick success, but has plenty of improvement in the tank and doesn’t look overburdened with 10st 8lb. The ability to jump and stay are the twin attributes of every National victory. Not only does I Just Know, whose jockey Danny Cook chose to be a jockey over a career in the Army, soar over his fences with chutzpah, but he promises to relish

every last yard of the four miles, two and a half furlongs on rain-soaked terrain.

In a typically open race, Anibale Fly, Blaklion, Tiger Roll Total Recall

and are the four horses rubbing shoulders at the head of the betting.

Each one of the quartet is feared, but these days it pays to look beyond the National favourite.

After Scotland’s triumph with One For Arthur 12 Seeyouatmidnight months ago, Captain Redbeard

and form a two-strong raiding party from north of the border and the former, third in the 2016 Scottish National, is greatly respected.

There’s a strong media interest in the three female jockeys – Bryony Frost (Milansbar), Katie Walsh (Baie Des Iles)

and Rachael

(Alpha Des Blackmore Obeaux)

– attempting to make history as the Grand National heroine.

Preference is for Milansbar, partnered by Frost to win a big pot at Warwick in January and a player despite a busy campaign. Regal Encore

is quirky but enters calculations on his eighth placing in 2017, while, Final Nudge at bigger odds, took the bronze in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in January and is no forlorn hope for each-way money.