‘Aintree is less daunting than facing All Blacks’
Three Grand National debutants tell Alan Tyers what having a runner on Saturday means to them
Sandy Thomson trains See you at midnight
I played rugby for the South of Scotland against the touring All Blacks when I was 21. This will be a lot less daunting than facing them. I played on the wing and my opposite number that day was Bernie Fraser. He was a big, bruising Maori: it was an interesting afternoon, shall we say.
My grandfather Moffat Thomson bred Macmoffat, who was runner-up in 1939 and 1940 Nationals, so it is part of our family’s story. I remember when Red Rum beat Crisp [in 1973] and it was always a big day in my life from then.
My dad took me down in 1978 when John Thorne broke his leathers while winning the Aintree Foxhunters and there was nobody there, the place was a shambles. I got involved in the campaign to save Aintree. A lot of people did, and thank goodness it was saved.
Up until this week, my wife was the owner of See you at midnight but we sold him. The horse stays here, but in life you have to make business, rather than sentimental, decisions. Of course we would have loved to have kept him but we run a business. My wife will be absolutely delighted if he wins.
Ross O’sullivan trains Baie Des Iles
I am very excited, but the nerves are starting to kick in. It’s my first runner at Aintree but of course Katie [Walsh, O’sullivan’s wife, who rides Baie Des Iles] has seen it all before. Her experience here should stand us in good stead.
In previous years, I have been nervous watching her ride. Of course she is a great jockey, but she’s my wife as well. You are just hoping that she gets back safely. That’ll be even more so on Saturday, it’s a double whammy. I’m hoping the mare does her thing and that they both get round OK.
Katie is based with her dad, Ted: their yard is at one end of the farm and mine is the other, so we see a lot of each other but not too much! She’ll pop over, come and sit on a horse and then ride back to her dad.
Ted has been great with advice. It’s been really helpful to run things by him, ask him about schooling, what he did with Papillon [winner in 2000]. I know there has been big money for Baie Des Iles but really she was an outsider. For a very small yard like ours, to be involved in such a famous race is huge.
Stuart Coltherd is trainer and owner of Captain Redbeard
This may be my first runner in the Grand National but Captain Redbeard got some experience over these big fences when he finished sixth in the Grand Sefton Chase in December.
He ran well in his last race, which was over hurdles. We are just keeping his fitness levels up, trying to keep everything as normal as possible.
Hopefully, if all goes well, he will be coming to a peak, fitness-wise,
‘It is the biggest stage in the world for racing’
on the day of the race. That is the plan.
My son Sam is a conditional jockey and is riding in the Grand National for the first time. He has been doing a lot of prep work, boxing and running to get in top shape for it. He knows the horse really well, which is important in a race like this.
We are busy lambing sheep at the moment so we will get that tidied up and then set off for Aintree at about half past eight on Saturday morning, get down there and enjoy the day as it comes.
Aintree has been quite a lucky track for us. We won the Fox Hunters’ five years ago with a horse called Tartan Snow at 100-1 and we have had a few other good runs there too. I hope our luck continues on Saturday.
I can remember Red Rum winning for the first time, and my dad going away down to the bookies in Selkirk. I had 50 pence each-way on it or something like that. It is the first Grand National I can remember.
It is the biggest stage in the world when it comes to horse racing. Every trainer is looking to it, what horse is going to take them there. A bit of luck and a clear round and I believe my horse has got as much chance as anything else.