Any Second Now set for third crack at National glory

TED WALSH believes Any Second Now will need plenty of luck to go one better than last year and win the Grand National. The JP McManus- owned gelding was third behind Minella Times in the Aintree spectacular in 2021 and runner- up last year to Noble Yeats.

And Walsh, who saddled Papillon to victory in the race 23 years ago, knows the justturned 11- year- old will do well to give him a second success.

Any Second Now returned to action over hurdles at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, showing his wellbeing with a fair second to Saint Sam over an extended two miles and three furlongs. It was the first step to another crack at the extended four- and- aquartermile Grade Three prize at Aintree, and Walsh was satisfied with the performance.

He said: “He ran all right. That was what we expected him to do. He is going to be competing at the top table, so you want to be running well.

“He will definitely run twice more and maybe have three more runs before Aintree. He’s not after prize- money, but there’s nothing like a bit of competition.”

A gallant third after being hampered in the 2021 National, 12 months on and 7lb higher, he managed to push Noble Yeats to within a little over two lengths. Yet the County Kildare handler feels last season’s Bobbyjo Chase winner will do well to replicate his previous good form at Aintree this year.

“He’s been unlucky not to win a National, but he probably won’t win one at this stage,” admitted Walsh. “He was a bit unlucky the year they called it off because of Covid [ 2020] – he was well handicapped and is about 20lb higher now.

“Then he was unlucky to be [ nearly] brought down in the year that [ jockey] Rachael Blackmore won it. I’m not saying he would have won it, but he was unlucky.

“Then he was unlucky to run up against a well- handicapped young horse on the up last year.

“Worse horses have won the National. I know better horses have as well, but if luck had bounced his way, he could have won one.”