O’Regan on Nephew for National return

JOCKEY Denis O’Regan will team up with his prospective Grand National mount The Druids Nephew in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster this afternoon.

Trainer Neil Mulholland secured O’Regan f or the 20- 1 co- second favourite with initial choice Noel Fehily committed to revitalised Paul Nicholls-trained dual King George VI Chase winner Silviniaco Conti.

O’Regan has had seven rides in the National, finishing second on Black Apalachi in 2010.

The Druids Nephew, who faces another popular Aintree entry in The Last Samuri, was travelling powerfully in the lead and looked set to play a part in the finish of last year’s National when falling six fences out.

He carries 11st this time around at Aintree, 5lb more than last season. Mulholland has kept the nine-yearold fresh for his April 9 target but warned that the anticipated testing ground at Doncaster would not suit The Druids Nephew.

Mulholland said: ‘The National is very hard to win but it has been his long-term goal. Denis will ride him. He has a great record around Aintree and the owners were keen to get him with Noel having to ride Silviniaco Conti.

‘Last year he just got unlucky and tripped. It was the speed he was going. You have to be fairly happy with the 11st weight he has got. We just want some better ground but will not get that at Doncaster.’

Mulholland, enjoying his best ever winter with 58 winners so far, could have eight runners at the Cheltenham Festival later this month including The Young Master, who goes for the same handicap chase on the first day that The Druids Nephew won last year, and novice hurdler Shantou Village.

This afternoon, however, is more about the National than the Festival with five running out of the top 13 in the ante-post betting.

They are led by last year’s winner Many Clouds, who is taken on by Unioniste at Kelso, while last season’s fourth and fifth, Alvarado and Shutthefrontdoor, are in action at Newbury along with 2014 winner Pineau De Re.