Trainer Henry De Bromhead believes last year's winner Minella Times is coming back to form ahead of his return to Aintree Racecourse to defend his Randox Grand National crown.
The nine-year-old helped Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to win the world's greatest steeplechase when he landed a six-and-a-half-length victory over stable-mate Balko De Flos.
And while last year's runner-up is injured and out of the Aintree showpiece, Minella Times will spearhead a possible four-pronged assault from the County Waterford handler. Top weight Chris's Dream – who unseated rider Darragh O'Keefe four fences from home in last year's race; the stable's new recruit Court Maid and Poker Play could all join Minella Times on Merseyside a week on Saturday.
Minella Times has had a disappointing season so far, falling in the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase in December and being pulled up in a handicap at Leopardstown in February. But De Bromhead says he has been working well at home and hopes the return to Aintree may see him bounce back to form.
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Speaking on a Zoom call, arranged by The Jockey Club, De Bromhead said: “It has been frustrating with Minella Times so far this season. Obviously, he fell in the John Durkan which was disappointing, and he came back a little bit stiff and sore.
"We then got him right and thought we had him spot on for Leopardstown and again he was a bit disappointing. But we found a little couple of issues and treated him for those, and he seems really good now.
“He worked nicely the other day and Rachael was happy with him so I’m hoping that we’ve got him back on song. He seems in good form, so fingers crossed.
“We think he loved it last year and we’re very hopeful that Aintree will reignite him again. Obviously, he has been disappointing, but he did love it there last year and we really think he’s really coming back to himself finally and we couldn’t be happier with him.
“You’re always trying to freshen them up and he did a bit of Cross Country and things like that as you’re always trying to sweeten them up and keep them happy and enjoying themselves and he seems to be very much coming to himself.”
On last year's historic achievement, De Bromhead added: “We definitely could enjoy it (despite being held behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions) and it was fantastic that it all went ahead under such difficult circumstances. Although it was different, it was it great that we got to win the Grand National.
“It was some achievement for Rachael and to be involved in it all was brilliant. Minella Times was brilliant on the day, and it was great to get it for the McManus family.
“We probably didn’t allow ourselves (to believe we were going to win it in-running) and to see the three horses just go out for the second circuit was pretty incredible.
“Obviously Chris’s Dream unseated four out, but to see Balko Des Flos and Minella Times both there in the first four or five with three to jump was just unreal really.
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“I thought Burrows Saint and Patrick Mullins were going better than any of ours at the time but Minella Times jumping the last in front was some buzz. I suppose Any Second Now was staying on then, but I’d say we were starting to get pretty excited and believing we were going to win it about halfway up the run-in.”
While he currently has three definite runners this time, De Bromhead may have four with Poker Party – at 43rd on the current list of entries – needing three more above him to come out of the race before next Thursday's final deadline to make the line-up.
Chris's Dream will carry top weight of 11st10lb this time and on the 10-year-old, De Bromhead added: “He unseated there last year when he looked to be going well and seemed to be enjoying himself, so we’ll see.”
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Court Maid, who has recently moved to the Knockeen stable from Tom Mullins' yard, is also set for Aintree. The nine-year-old mare will make her stable debut and it will be her first crack at the famous Grand National fences.
De Bromhead said: “We bought her the other day and thought she had a really nice profile for the race. We’re delighted to get her, and I think she could run really well hopefully.
“We just felt she made a lot of sense. She’s a high-class mare and she’s won over three and a half miles and then to be able to drop back over two miles in the Mares’ Chase at Naas (in February) and run as well as she did – we just felt she made a lot of sense and we’re delighted to get her.
“She arrived just before Cheltenham and we’re hoping if we can just maintain her form and if she takes to the fences she could run really well. She’s a lovely mare and has settled in really well and we couldn’t be happier with her. I think her profile looks good and she’s got a bit of pace and she seems to stay well, so she’s a lovely mare to have.
“Obviously she has to take to the fences and enjoy that aspect of it, but she’s been schooling well at home so we’re happy.”
And on former Kerry National winner Poker Party, who was pulled up in the Cross Country fences at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month, De Bromhead added: “He won a Kerry National a few years ago and he’s back now after an issue.
“He’s OK but he just struggled on the very heavy ground at Cheltenham but Rachael said he was really enjoying the Cross Country the other day – just that ground on the Wednesday he wouldn’t handle it.
“Rachael said he really took to that track and really enjoyed it and Balko Des Flos was similar last year, he unseated in the Cross Country at the cheese wedges I think but Rachael came in and said how much he enjoyed it – so it seems to be a great prep race for the National.
“The ground went against him that day but Rachael said he was going well to the point she decided to pull him up.”
De Bromhead confirmed Blackmore will again be on Minella Times, but has yet to decide who will ride his other runners.
He said: “I’d say Rachael will be on Minella Times and we haven’t yet firmed up plans for any of the other three – we’re going to school a few this week and we’ll see.”
De Bromhead will have a number of horses running at Aintree over the three-day Festival, which starts next Thursday with Liverpool's NHS Day.
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And on his Aintree team, he said: “Spyglass Hill is unlikely to go for the Topham Chase but Notebook is a likely runner. He seems in good form and although he’s rated pretty high, he jumps great and we’re hoping for a good run.
“Quilixios will run in the two and a half mile hurdle and we’ve got a few entered in the Red Rum Handicap Chase, while Captain Guinness will probably go for the Melling Chase on the Friday.
“Gin On Lime will go for either the two and a half mile (Manifesto Novices’ Chase) or the three-mile novices’ chase (Mildmay Novices’ Chase) which would be the bulk of our runners, though Somptueux might get an entry in a handicap chase as well.
“Put The Kettle On is also going to Aintree as the syndicate have decided to sell her. She’s got such a value as a broodmare so she’s going to go to the Goffs Aintree Sales on the Thursday. She’s still well able to race away but we just think she’s at that stage in her career that it might be a better option for her in time.”
De Bromhead had six winners at last year's Cheltenham Festival. And he had another spectacular four days at Prestbury Park earlier this month, with Honeysuckle retaining her Unibet Champion Hurdle crown, Bob Olinger winning the Turners' Novices Chase and A Plus Tard grabbing the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The trainer enjoyed another one-two in the Gold Cup with A Plus Tard and Minella Indo reversing placing from last year as Blackmore also became the first female jockey to win the blue riband.
A Plus Tard will not be heading to Aintree for the Betway Bowl – instead he will be having a break before a return to Merseyside next November to try for another win in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.
De Bromhead said “A Plus Tard seems great and he’s really well. We’re delighted with all of our horses since coming back from Cheltenham really apart from Bob Olinger. He’s a bit tight so we’re working on him, but all of the others have come back really well.
“The Thompsons would love to focus on the Gold Cup again for next year – that route worked for us last year, so we feel if it ain’t broke we won’t try and fix it.
“Minella Indo deserves a big one this season and will go to Punchestown, as will Honeysuckle. She was brilliant at Cheltenham and has come out of it brilliant so we’re looking forward to running her there.”
READ MORE: Get a copy of the ECHO's Grand National Special
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