I’m in great COMPANY

TWO-TIME NATIONAL-WINNING JOCKEY ON THIS YEAR’S RACE

You’d be hoping he would get the trip

THE Randox Health Grand National is such a big field, the fences are quite different and it is a unique challenge.

There’s all the build-up and the hype that goes with it and it is a very, very prestigious race to win.

I’ve been lucky enough to win it twice. I suppose that first time, I had grown up knowing Ireland had struggled for pretty limited success in the English National: there was L’Escargot in the 1970s and the next time there was an Irish success was Bobbyjo in 1999.

I had seen only one Irish horse win the Grand National, and to then win it with Papillon the following year made it a brilliant day, especially with dad training him.

You went there really to get around, but he was tipped at 33-1 and there was a snowball effect – a lot of people just jumped on the bandwagon. It was an incredible day and I remember it like it was yesterday,

Hedgehunter won his National in 2005 and was second the year after. He was also runner-up in a Gold Cup to War Of Attrition, so he was a wonderful horse. He absolutely hosed up the day he won and that was sweet.

This year, I ride Pleasant Company. He seems to be in good form, we’re happy with him and we think he has a nice weight. On his first run this year in the Thyestes, he was fourth to Champagne West and Ucello Conti was just behind him.

He then went to Fairyhouse and won the Bobbyjo on very heavy ground. But we thought as a hurdler his better runs were on better ground, so you’d be hoping a bit of drier weather between now and Saturday would help him.

He’s won over three miles one furlong, so you’d be hoping he would get the trip, but he’s a good ride to have in the race and I’m looking forward to riding him.

He wears a hood so you want him to relax. You have to travel too; if you get too relaxed at Aintree and get behind the bridle it can be hard to jump around there so you have to strike the right balance. And you don’t need horses falling in front of you.

You have to have some confidence. You have to think a horse has some kind of chance or there’s no point going. We think he’s the right sort of horse to run in the race.

Of the others in the race, I tend to prefer the horses who have never been there, the ones that don’t have Aintree form.

Class is always permanent, so a horse with the ability of More Of That you would have to respect. Blaklion, an RSA winner, has to be hugely respected, while Vieux Lion Rouge won the Becher. It’s a different race but he would still have to have a shout. Cause Of Causes was very good in the cross-country at Cheltenham, so he’s a live one too.