Morris plays down chances of landing National hat trick

TRAINER Mouse Morris and owners Gigginstown House Stud cannot see lightning striking three times when they go for a Grand National hat-trick at Ayr today.

The owner-trainer combination are responsible for Folsom Blue in the Coral-sponsored Scottish Grand National after scooping the pool with Rogue Angel in the Irish version and Rule The World at Aintree.

However, connections believe winning all three would be too much to ask for. Folsom Blue was fourth in the Fairyhouse feature and Morris expects him to run creditably without landing the spoils.

“He ran a good race in Fairyhouse and he should come on for that,” said the County Tipperary handler.

“Andrew Ring rode him last time, so we’re happy to have him on again.

“It would be too much to expect him to win, but he’s in good form and I’d be hopeful he’ll run well.”

Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown House Stud, also played down the chances of what would be an amazing achievement.

“Folsom Blue ran well the last day. He’s got a light weight and might have a small squeak,” he said.

As well as Folsom Blue, Gigginstown are represented by the Willie Mullinstrained Measureofmydreams, who ran a good race when third to Minella Rocco in the four-mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.

“He ran well at Cheltenham. He’s probably got a bit too much weight on his back but we’ll see,” said O’Leary.

Scottish Borders trainer Sandy Thomson is hoping to win the feature with his star novice Seeyouatmidnight.

Thomson went to the Cheltenham Festival with high hopes for the eightyear-old, but the ground dried up and scuppered his chances in the RSA Chase as he was a well-beaten seventh of eight finishers behind Blaklion.

Thomson has his fingers crossed conditions will be more suitable at Ayr.

He said: “Unfortunately he’s run in three Grade Ones now and each time the ground has gone against him. That was genuine good ground at Cheltenham, which wouldn’t be ideal. It was catch-22 because if he hadn’t gone out in front there wouldn’t have been enough pace, things just didn’t go for him.

“After a mistake at the third-last, Brian (Hughes) just brought him home and that might have been a blessing because without that he could have been scrapping out for a place and had a hard race.

“We’re on a fact-finding mission but I think it will suit him well. You never know about four miles until you try, hopefully we’ve brushed his jumping up as he has been getting a bit low, almost blase.”

Kerry Lee has had a highly-successful first season, winning a host of big races, including the Welsh National and the Betfred Grand National Trial. The Presteigne handler feels Goodtoknow has the earned the right to have a crack at a big one, having won his last two races.