The 2021 running of the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter was one of the strongest renewals for many years and Time To Get Up, the winner, was expected to be a leading contender for next month’s Aintree National as a result.
As it turned out, the entry rules scuppered his chances, as he had not made six starts over fences by the time the weights were set. Jonjo O’Neill’s nine-year-old is qualified for the 2023 National now, however, after an eye-catching run at Haydock in February when he travelled like the best horse in the field for much of the race. He has been dropped 2lb since and will take some stopping in his bid for a repeat here.
