Harry Redknapp is “very excited” that his dream of owning a runner in the £1 million Randox Grand National is on track to being fulfilled.
The former Premier League manager is one of four owners of 66-1 chance Back On The Lash who is trained in Moreton-In-Marsh, Gloucestershire by Martin Keighley.
The horse gave 75-year-old Redknapp his first ever winner at Cheltenham in January and at the time he was entered in the Grand National he needed 24 horses to withdraw to be guaranteed a place in the 40-runner field.
Ahead of the next acceptance stage on Monday, Back On The Lash has risen to 45 on the list, needing only five horses to come out with a number of horses above set to run in Easter Monday’s Irish Grand National instead.
“Harry is always ringing up to see if he is going to get in,” said Keighley. “I think he will now. Some are even saying now there might not even be a full field.
“Harry is a great guy, a big supporter of the yard who is very excited about having a Grand National runner.
“When Back On The Lash won this season at Cheltenham that was his first ever Cheltenham winner. He was gutted to miss that, but he has put Grand National day in his diary.”
When the Grand National weights were published in February, Redknapp, who has managed Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham , Portsmouth, Bournemouth , Southampton , QPR and Birmingham, said: “It would be amazing to have a runner in the Grand National.
“I would love to have a runner. It’s one of my favourite races. I love the racing, it’s my big passion”
After his win in a cross-country race at Cheltenham in January, Back On The Lash contested the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in which he was pulled up.
“He didn’t go a stride in the soft ground at the Festival,” said Keighley. “It’s vital he has decent ground. He’s fine on good to soft but if it’s any softer he probably wouldn’t run. However looking at the forecast he should get his ground.
“Cross-country horses have a good strike rate in the National. He’s in good form, off a light weight so hopefully can put a good show in.”
With regular rider Sean Bowen committed to last year’s Grand National winner Noble Yeats, Adam Wedge is set to take over at Aintree.
Keighley said: “We have built five Grand National fences here at home and Adam is going to come and sit on him. Jon Pullin let me have some of the greenery from the cross-country fences so he will have a pop at them on Friday.”
