I WON BEFORE BUT STILL NEED MORE OF THAT

FIVE weeks ago, top jump jockey BARRY GERAGHTY broke seven ribs and punctured a lung in a fall at Kempton, putting him out of the Cheltenham Festival. This afternoon he could have ridden a leading hope Cause of Causes, but will try to win his second Grand National on 14-1 shot More Of That. I WAS forced to miss the Cheltenham Festival but in my mind it was always a formality that I would ride in the Grand National. There was no Plan B. My first week of recovery was bad. I had a lot of morphine in hospital but I improved each day. At first I thought I’d broken six ribs but found out in my last scan it was actually seven and that I’d also broken a couple of wings off vertebrae as well. I was surprised I hadn’t been in more pain! It hurt more to have to watch Cheltenham and miss out on winners. It wasn’t straightforward deciding what to ride today because Cause of Causes won the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and that race has proved a good form line to the National in the past. But I think he is high enough in the handicap. I would have liked More Of That to run a bit better than his sixth in the Gold Cup but if he can find his best form, he is in a better position in the weights. Trainer Jonjo O’Neill, owner JP McManus and all of us have a high opinion of More of That. He won the World Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2014, beating Annie Power, but he has had a few issues which have held him back. He does find his best form at this time of year. He is a class act and the right type for the race. His brother Eastlake has run well in the shorter Topham Trophy over the famous fences, winning last year. That gives me hope he will take to the fences. In the National you need a horse which relaxes, stays and finds rhythm early. If they are jumping well they relax and it all comes easy. A tense horse burns energy and doesn’t breathe as easily. I won the race in 2003 on 16-1 shot Monty’s Pass. It seems a lifetime ago! I remember the eerie silence after jumping the third-last fence when he was absolutely cantering. I could take in what was happening because his jumping was so good. You would have heard a pin drop. I was half a mile out from the biggest win of my career and away from the grandstand. I’d had a dream run round but you usually do when you ride the winner. Everything just seems to unfold for you. I hope it can for More Of That.

Barry Geraghty is an ambassador of dedicated horse racing channel At The Races (Sky 415, Virgin 535, Virgin Ireland 418). Read his Aintree blog on attheraces.com as he looks ahead to his rides today.