Lining up to make it ladies’ day at Aintree

Katie Walsh, Bryony Frost and Rachael Blackmore all line up in the Randox Health Grand National today – but the prize on offer to them at Aintree is greater than the £500,000 winner’s cheque.

This will be the 189th running of the world’s greatest steeplechase but a female rider has yet to pass the post first – a statistic any of this excellent trio would be delighted to defy. Walsh posted the best result yet from a female rider when finishing third in 2012 and appears to have a leading chance as she teams up with husband Ross O’Sullivan with the fancied Baie Des Iles.

While Walsh is no stranger to the National challenge, Bryony Frost will be having her first spin in the big race following a landmark season that included Grade One success. She teams up with Milansbar.Frost said: “We’re all up there with the same chance – it doesn’t matter if you’re 100-1 or the favourite.”

It will be Blackmore’s first visit to Aintree and one she cannot wait to experience on Alpha Des Obeaux. l Aintree runners and riders, P50, 51