Trainer Lucinda Russell says it's all systems go for 2023 Randox Grand National favourite Corach Rambler ahead of his trip Aintree Racecourse a week on Saturday.
The nine-year-old became just the fourth horse to win the Ultima Handicap Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival for a second and is officially 10lb 'well-in' following that victory. He was backed into favouritism on the back of that success at Prestbury Park and is currently a best-priced 6-1 with several bookmakers including Coral, Betfred, Bet365 and Skybet. Russell, who was the last British trainer to win the Grand National with the late One For Arthur in 2017, says Corach Rambler's preparation since Cheltenham has been ideal. And he is now on course to bid for glory.
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The Scottish-based trainer said: "The prep is going really well. He ran at Cheltenham in the middle of March and since then it was a matter of letting him recover. That was the first thing and then since it has been sort of winding him up again to Aintree. He is a very straightforward horse to deal with in one way, but in another way, Scu (Peter Scudamore - Russell's partner and assistant) rides him every day so I don't have total control over what work he does.
"But he is just coming to himself, he looks very fit and I am very pleased with his weight and stuff and it is just a case of getting him in the right mind space now."
Russell was only the second trainer from Scotland and the first since John Leadbetter saddled Rubstic in 1979 to win the world's greatest steeplechase when One For Arthur was a superb winner six years ago. Sadly One For Arthur recently died at the age of 14 after suffering colic. And it will be an emotional return to Aintree for the Kinross-based trainer. She said: "Yes, I mean it is poignant, I always say that the wins are not just for the horse's own glory, but it is for everyone else around them. It would be lovely.
"I know that the Two Golf Widows who owned One For Arthur, they are very excited again about us having a runner in the National. It is just lovely, the support that we have from everyone. Arthur was funny, he really did become family and his owners are very good friends of ours now.
"Corach already is family because Scu rides him all the time, but it is nice and it means so much to us."
While Russell has confidence in her latest Grand National hopeful, she has tried not to think about what it would be like to win the Aintree marathon twice. She said: "Gosh, I haven't really thought about it. I always said it wouldn't change my life (winning the National) but it did change my life to start with. Crikey, can it change my life again? I don't know.
"But it is just nice because I feel that I am the figurehead but actually it is the people who sort of do it all. There is a lot of people behind so it is not really just for me, it is for everyone else."
Russell is happy to fly the flag for Scotland against the big trainers on either side of the Irish Sea. And she leads the charge in the British bid to end the recent Irish domination of the Aintree marathon.
She said: "For this race, there is a lot of Irish horses in it. We have to do it all the time. When you get to the top level you are competing against top-level horses, where they get trained doesn't make much of a difference to me. It is exciting taking them on but it is not overwhelming.
"Arthur really put us on the map when he won, and I think that got the interest in racing from people (in Scotland) who weren't normally interested in the racing. I think that if Corach was to win it this year, it would certainly increase the attention we are getting in Scottish racing."
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Derek Fox rode One For Arthur to victory and has been Corach Rambler's regular partner. And Russell praied the jockey, saying: "He is just a fantastic person. He works here in the yard, he is in here every day. He knows the horses inside out. He is a tremendous horseman. He really gets the horses.
"He is very strong, very fit and he has got a racing brain that during the race he doesn't panic. I think for races like the National and races at the top level you have to have someone who doesn't see the red mist and Derek is supremely calm about things. It is great".
Russell sadly lost her father this year, a main driving force behind her early days as a trainer. She said: "I always say about dad that I think everything we do is a tribute to him. When he was alive it was a tribute to him. He has passed away now but I think he would be proud of what we do and of course there is a lot of emotion to it. Really just the emotion of losing dad is overwhelming but the horses keep me pretty well grounded about things."
