RACHAEL BIDS TO MAKE NATIONAL HISTORY

BOOKMAKERS are predicting punters will pile on Rachael Blackmoreridden Minella Times in this afternoon’s Randox Grand National at Aintree as she bids to become the first female jockey to win the world’s best-known steeplechase. Blackmore’s Henry de Bromhead-trained mount was cut to 9-1 yesterday. While the Blackmore effect is not expected to make Minella Times threaten long-time market leader Cloth Cap for favouritism, the gelding owned by JP McManus is expected to attract an avalanche of support. Blackmore’s profile has increased after she landed six wins at last month’s Cheltenham Festival. Her win on Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle was a first for a female jockey and she also became the first woman to be crowned the Festival’s leading rider. In Minella Times, Blackmore has a partner who has shown sound form in competitive Irish handicap chases and who at eight years old is a steeplechaser who is still potentially improving. Blackmore, 31, said: ‘He has had two very nice runs in handicaps at home. He seems very well and his jumping technique is good. It’s a Grand National, anything can happen but I wouldn’t swap him. ‘Anything that gets people interested is brilliant. When I was young and had an interest in racing, I would probably have been keeping an eye on a locally trained horse in the Grand National. ‘I hope if people are backing me they do not go broke!’ Blackmore (right) has ridden in two Grand Nationals — falling at the 15th fence on Alpha Des Obeaux in 2018 and finishing tenth on Valseur Lido in 2019. Blackmore said: ‘I got around last year on Valseur Lido and got a kick out of that. It would be great if we could get a little closer at the finish this year.’ Three female jockeys ride in this afternoon’s race. Bryony Frost has place chances on Yala Enki while Sub Lieutenant was cut to 40-1 from 100-1 by Ladbrokes yesterday after publicity surrounding Tabitha Worsley riding for her trainer mother Georgie Howell. This year the National will be staged in front of empty grandstands and only a handful of owners. Twelve months ago the nearest we got to a Grand National was a computergenerated virtual one. It still attracted 4.8million viewers and was won by Potters Corner. The gelding, part-owned by Wales rugby international Jonathan Davies, is back for the real thing. His recent form is less encouraging but he wears blinkers for the first time and it never pays to underestimate the ability of Christian Williams, who trains Jack Tudor-ridden Potters Corner on the beach near Porthcawl. Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, fresh from owning three winners on the opening day of the meeting, is represented by Give Me A Copper. But a victory for Cloth Cap would be a record fourth for owner Trevor Hemmings. After the Irish domination of the Cheltenham Festival, they have 18 of the 40 starters, headed by Willie Mullinstrained Burrows Saint, who is ridden by son Patrick. FOLLOWING the death of Prince Philip, there was a two-minute silence at the track yesterday before racing. Flags flew at half-mast and jockeys wore black armbands. That will be repeated at Aintree and all tracks racing today.