Master can call National tune

Eight-year-old can handle four-and-a-half mile trip

THE YOUNG MASTER has what it takes to cut loose in the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree.

When owner Robert Waley-Cohen bought the eight-year-old, the Aintree spectacular was already in his mind and that of his son, Sam, who will once again be in the plate.

Trainer Neil Mulholland persuaded the team to step back from a National challenge last year and this paid dividends as The Young Master won the bet365 Gold Cup, but things have not gone quite so smoothly this term.

Admittedly, he made an inauspicious start over the National obstacles when falling two fences from home in the Becher Chase on his reappearance, while he cut little ice when put back over hurdles at Cheltenham in the Cleeve.

However, The Young Master looked much more like his old self when claiming a staying-on sixth in the Ultima Handicap Chase at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.

He got caught for a bit of pace, but kept on all the way up the hill to suggest that with a canny ride, this four-andquarter-mile

trip should be well within his compass.

VIEUX LION ROUGE could well prove the closest challenger to The Young Master as he has been there and done it over the National fences and impressed when winning a trial event at Haydock in February.

JUST A PAR chased home The Young Master at Sandown and can improve on last year’s 15th place.

Away from the National, Le Breuil bypassed Cheltenham and Ben Pauling’s patience can pay dividends in the Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle. SELECTIONS: AINTREE: 1.45 Whataknight, 2.25 Le Breuil, 3.00 Charbel, 3.40 Value At Risk, 4.20 Aux Ptits Soins, 5.15 1 THE YOUNG MASTER (NAP), 2 Vieux Lion Rouge, 3 Just A Par, 4 Cause Of Causes, 6.15 Master Of Finance.

DOUBLE: The Young Master and Le Breuil.