It’s all systems go for Snow Leopardess’ bid for glory in the Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse two weeks on Saturday.
Charlie Longsdon’s grey mare has already conquered the unique Aintree obstacles, when landing a narrow victory in the Becher Chase in terrible conditions in December.
The 10-year-old, who has won all three starts this season, has been popular in the betting since then and is currently the leading British-trained fancy at 14-1 with most bookmakers. A combination of her back story – she gave birth to a foal to 2006 Derby hero Sir Percy during a 794-day break just over two years ago as she recoverd from injury; her grey colour and her fine form – mean she will return to Aintree on April 9 as the horse many will follow.
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And trainer Longsdon is excited ahead of seeing the Fox-Pitt family-owned mare line up again in Liverpool.
The Chipping Norton-based handler said: “It is two and a half weeks away now so it is all a bit nerve-wracking.
“She doesn’t fit all the stats – not many greys, not many mares, not many mothers (have won the Grand National). I know people have been looking at Weatherbys to find out how many mothers have actually run in the Grand National, we think something might have done 100 years ago, the last century, but not in recent living memory.
“She ticks plenty of boxes, although she doesn’t fit all the stats.”
Initially after winning the Becher Chase, connections wouldn’t confirm Snow Leopardess as a definite Grand National runner. But Longsdon has always felt she had what it takes to line up in the world’s greatest steeplechase.
He said: “I think we were always going to enter her. She seemed to love the fences and hopefully that will be the same in two weeks' time. We always wanted to go there. I think the owner-breeder (Marietta Fox-Pitt) was a little bit wary. More the size of the field – 40 runners. There is an element of luck in the race, not so much luck as it used to be. But it was only a short-lived question mark and we are set and keen to go now.”
He added: “The difference is last year we were on the back of having two leg problems and we probably trained her slightly with the handbrake on. It took her until she went to Haydock Park to really be fit enough.
“She takes a lot of work and this year we have been able to do that and trust ourselves slightly more with the fact that she will stay sound. (I) Keep touching wood but we are still two and a half weeks away.
“She went to her first run at Bangor fit as a flea, she jumped great that day. Then onto the Becher. We were slightly worried about her getting in off a mark of 145, which I think she would have been fine looking back at it, so we went to Exeter. It has been a good season for her.”
The Martaline mare is set for her final piece of strenuous work before Aintree tomorrow (Friday, March 25). And, as before the Becher Chase win, she will get reaquainted with some Aintree-style fences at Lambourn.
Longsdon said: “She worked Tuesday and she goes to Lambourn tomorrow, she will have a jump there. I think Ben Pauling is bringing (another Grand National entrant) Kildisart to get a lead off us and hopefully that will remain as well. Ben asked me if we were going and I said yes and he said can I come and join you. So he is coming as well. Then we will do a good bit of work around Lambourn tomorrow after she has jumped and then that will basically most of her hard work done.
“The purpose of jumping the fences tomorrow is more a case of dotting the I’s and crossing the Ts. We went before she ran in the Becher, Aidan (Coleman) just jumped them the once that day – two jumps – and said that will do. I would like to hope that is all it will be tomorrow.
"But you never know because the National fences are different. They can frighten a horse, they can spook them slightly. We did a lot of schooling after the Becher Chase and we have got to be happy she is going to attack them like we saw that day in the Becher.”
Longsdon has saddled four horses in the National, but none were as fancied at Snow Leopardess.
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He said: “We have had Pendra run in it twice and get round. We had a faller at the first, Ely Brown, and Palypso de Creek fell at the fourth last when tailed off and Drop Out Joe was pulled up before the last.
“We’ve had horses get around but we have never had horses shorter than 50-1 really. If the ground had been drier then Pendra would have been alright.
“We are the favourite of the English but we have still got to beat the Irish. You never know. She is the one mare they will all be looking at as she jumped them so well last time.”
Snow Leopardess is the headline act now, but her three-year-old daughter Red Panda will join Longsdon's team this summer.
He said: “As for Red Panda, her three-year-old, she is very backwards. She is in pre-training and she has not actually been here yet but she is meant to be coming this summer. The Fox-Pitts broke her in as a two year old. I’ve seen pictures of her schooling and jumping. Like all their horses they jump from a very young age, hence why they are such good, natural jumpers.
“Red Panda will come into training this autumn with the view of maybe running in a bumper in the spring. I’ve been told she is quite backwards so we will be in no rush.”
For information regarding tickets for the Randox Grand National Festival visit thejockeyclub.co.uk/Aintree.
