Keep the faith and go all in with Total Recall
Forgive the Cheltenham fall and this class act has all the right credentials, writes Marlborough
Having fully expected Total Recall to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup 29 days ago, I just have to fancy him to land a Grand National carrying 11st 5lbs.
It could be argued that Total Recall’s fall at the third last at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup is far from an ideal preparation for today’s event over the daunting Aintree fences, but there is every chance he will have learned from it and the other plus – in my view this is a definite – is that he will not have endured the hard race he would have experienced had he gone all the way. This factor alone has put me off the well-backed Anibale Fly, who finished third to Native River at Cheltenham.
That fall is the only blot on Total Recall’s record since he switched to Willie Mullins at the start of the current season. He displayed courage when, in a driving finish, he won the Ladbroke Trophy – it used to be called the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, which was always a solid guide to today’s race – and he has shown his high cruising speed when cantering home in a €40,000 (£35,000) handicap hurdle. Those two qualities are invaluable in a potential Grand National horse and he looks a strong candidate.
J P Mcmanus owns four of the 40 runners and although Regal Encore may not be the choice of his retained rider Barry Geraghty – he has plumped for Anibale Fly – it is my belief that the 10-year-old has bright prospects.
Even without Geraghty, he will lack nothing from the saddle in partner Richie Mclernon, who will be keen to right the wrong he felt when beaten a nose on Sunnyhillboy in the 2012 National.
Regal Encore has always had a touch of class but failed, for various reasons, to fulfil that potential. However, this season, he seems to have got his act together – along with many in trainer Anthony Honeyball’s yard.
He finished a creditable eighth behind One For Arthur last year and is a better horse now, so it is not unreasonable to expect a solid run.
Milansbar, with Bryony Frost aboard, is sure to capture plenty of attention. He is a solid stayer, but the fear is the number of hard races on deep ground he has had this season may just have taken the edge off him.
Katie Walsh will be having her sixth ride in the race and has a wonderful record of having completed the course four times. Baie Des Isles should give her a grand spin and the grey mare has solid place prospects.
The progressive pair I Just Know and The Dutchman are stepping up in grade but their lower profile should not detract from their chances. Both are well
worth consideration.