Ante-post favourite Corach Rambler heads a full field of 40 for Saturday evening's Randox Grand National at Aintree.
Derek Fox has been declared to ride the nine-year-old after recovering from a minor injury, with the jockey and trainer Lucinda Russell bidding for a second National success following One For Arthur's triumph in 2017. Corach Rambler became just the fourth horse to win the Ultima at Cheltenham for a second time and heads to Merseyside 10lb 'well in'.
On the morning of the Grand National, Corach Rambler is 10/1 to win at Aintree with bet365 and William Hill, and 9/1 with Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair.
The horse cost only £17,000 at the sales and became something of a pet project for Scudamore, Russell's partner and assistant, who rides Corach Rambler every morning, with Russell ending up playing the role of equine psychologist as well as racehorse trainer.
She told the Daily Mail: "People at the sales thought he was no good because he was very nervous. He has been quirky to train and we changed things to fit him. Scu rides him and they sometimes go off on their own across the fields and do their own thing, with Scu talking to him all the time.
"A lot of what Scu does is try to make Corach Rambler think he is in control when really he is not. We are trying to give him confidence. The importance of mental health in humans is now recognised. Maybe it is the same with horses and we should recognise that, too."
As for the National, she said: "We like having runners in the Grand National because training staying chasers is our speciality. I am pretty sure Corach's toughness and resilience will come through at Aintree and his winning run at Cheltenham last month has improved him again."
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Corach Rambler is owned by seven people who form The Ramblers syndicate, which includes 21-year-old student Cameron Sword.
Not surprisingly for someone with youth on his side, Corach Rambler is Sword's first taste of ownership and he is struggling to comprehend how fortunate he is.
"I got into horseracing through Covid, watching the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National and decided to have a bit of interest," said Sword.
"I came up to Lucinda's and Corach Rambler was the only horse for sale at the time. That's a bit of luck and a bit of fate.
"I joined the syndicate. The horse was bought for £17,000 at the sales and the rest is history - two Cheltenham wins. It is my first horse. Mum has been roped in, she's got a horse now so I can't see it being the last, that's for sure.
"There's four of us in Scotland, one in Ireland, one in London and one in Australia. The age range goes from me to boys in their late 50s and early 60s, so it's a nice mix.
"None of us knew each other before Corach but as we started to go to races, we started to become friends. We all know each other well now and we've shared some really special moments together, which I think build that bond more."
Sword admits he has allowed his mind to wander to think what could happen, but he is well aware the National is a race like no other.
"It is a dream and if it happened it would be the best day of all our lives, but it is a 40-runner race and there is a lot that needs to go your way," he said.
"He is a horse that sits at the back of the field so he needs a clear run through. If there is a horse that falls and trips him up, that's the dream over but if we get the luck we need, then hopefully (he can win)."
Thirty-year-old accountant Thomas Kendall is another of The Ramblers and he is involved in other horses within the yard.
"I have had horses with Lucinda for a good few years now," he said. "This one suddenly popped up out of the blue and it is a dream come true to have a horse like this. You don't expect it.
"This is a level of success which is beyond my wildest dreams and we are sitting here before the Grand National thinking could it actually happen? He has earned his place there and we are all looking forward to it now.
"Clearly he has never been over the fences before and he has never ran that far before, but I think it all points to him having a good chance."
Scudamore does confess to feeling the team may be pushing their luck given they won the National with One For Arthur in 2017. "When I was at Cheltenham and I walked up to the stand, I thought 'he can't do it twice', the luck of doing it twice was beyond real, so I feel a little bit the same about this," said Scudamore. "I don't know. He is a worthy favourite. He has all the attributes to win the Grand National, the rest is what's sport's about."
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