Susan eyes final bid at the worlds

Thomson. Big-money owners had dominated top meetings and McCoy said: “What was brilliant for horse racing was a team such as Lucinda’s won at Aintree because it gives everyone hope.

“Not so much for trainers but for owners. Two ladies can buy a horse together and win the Grand National. You don’t have to be JP McManus.” SUSAN PARTRIDGE is on a mission in tomorrow’s London Marathon after confessing she couldn’t call it quits without trying to make up for last year’s flop.

The 37-year-old Scot admits she could hang up her spikes if she doesn’t do enough in the race’s Battle of the Brits to earn one more shot at this year’s World Championships in London.

Failing to finish 12 months ago ended any chance she had of finally going to an Olympics.

But after getting her PhD a few months ago, she says the result this weekend could be a watershed.

Partridge said: “It made me think: ‘Do I stay in academia? Do I get a job? Do I keep running until I can’t do it any more and it gets depressing?’ I decided to go for London but at some point soon I’ll say: ‘That’s it.’

“I’ve had a 20-year career where athletics has been the priority. I don’t want in three years to be hating it.

“Everyone has bad races but it should be enjoyable enough that you are motivated for the next one.

“I had a s*** run last year, it was the first time I’d ever dropped out of a race. But I did want to bow out on a positive note by coming back this year.”

Kenya’s Mary Keitany is gunning for a hat-trick in the women’s race while threetime Olympic champion Kenesisa Bekele of Ethiopia tops the men’s field.

LUCINDA’S SPECIAL ONE CRAIG SWAN