Sizing Codelco can upstage Might Bite

The Randox Health Foxhunters, in which Guy Disney, the former Army officer who lost a leg in Afghanistan, makes his debut over the National’s spruce fences on Gallery Exhibition, should give us an indication of just how testing the ground is for Saturday’s big race.

While Disney can expect a good spin, it is Colin Tizzard’s grey Grand Vision who can win the race, providing he does not give the fences too much air, as he occasionally does on park courses.

He is owned by retired farmer Kenton Honeybun who, as a young man, drove up from the Somerset Levels in a Citroen 2CV with three calves on the passenger seat to take on a tenancy of the Duchy of Cornwall at Mere. By the time he retired, he was milking 1,000 cows.

With Buveur D’air, Altior and Footpad all missing the meeting, Might Bite is the major equine draw on the first day. On the face of it, he could underperform and still win, but this is not his favourite ground and you can get some “funny” results at Aintree, even though there have been four weeks rather than the usual three since the Cheltenham Festival.

If you are looking for long-priced surprises, Tea For Two, who is stones better around a flat track, won the race last year, while Sizing Codelco showed nothing until he arrived here last spring, where he won before going on to win again at Punchestown. He arrives again having shown nothing this season.

Supasundae found only Penhill too good in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. The 2½ miles of the Betway Aintree Hurdle should be perfect for Jessica Harrington’s charge.