Back Bindaree!

Byline: By Doug Moscrop

Two years ago my brother was on the telephone a couple of weeks before the Martell Grand National asking if I had a long range fancy. I told him Bindaree.

However, by the time the great event arrived I had talked myself out of tipping him because of the faster ground. The rest is history. He remained on my short-list without getting the final nod and duly won.

Mind you, I wasn't the only one to get it wrong that year. Stable jockey Carl Llewellyn preferred to ride Beau, who had been full of running when unseating his rider at the 20th in the 2001 National, and experienced the same fate again, but six fences earlier.

This year I hadn't seriously looked at the race until Monday and came to the conclusion that Bindaree could become the first dual winner of the race in 30 years, last achieved by the great Red Rum. Apart from the fact that the race statistics are against the chestnut repeating his 2002 triumph, that his handicap mark has suffered somewhat, and that he has twice fallen over the National fences since, albeit in another race, he still has a lot going for him.

In the 2002 Becher Chase staged in November, he brushed through the top of the second fence and landed too steeply, while in the latest renewal he was still going well and held a narrow advantage when falling at Valentine's second time around.

Sandwiched between those two Aintree visits was a second crack at the National last spring when he finished a staying-on sixth to Monty's Pass after being on his belly twice at Bechers.

But his dual National-winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is at pains to point out that Bindaree was disappointing last year, having had a lot of niggling muscle problems, and believes that he is now better than ever.

And he has done little wrong. The form of his half-length victory over Sir Rembrandt in the Coral Welsh National, in which Hedgehunter was third, was given a terrific boost when the runner-up gave Best Mate a fright in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Bindaree avenged an earlier defeat by Sir Rembrandt in the Rehearsal Chase, also at Chepstow, while his flop at Warwick a fortnight after the Welsh National was attributed to the race coming too soon and, tough though he is, he hadn't got over his exertions.

Provided his jumping stands up to the rigours of Aintree - and he never looked like falling when winning in 2002 - this thorough stayer should still be keeping up a relentless gallop while others have called it a day. Twiston-Davies, who also won the National with Earth Summit in 1998, runs Shardam as well and he is anything but a forlorn hope. He looks well treated on his Cheltenham Festival second to Fork Lightning in the William Hill National Hunt Handicap Chase and was a good winner over three miles and three furlongs at the same venue in November.

He was almost brought down at the first in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and suffered a bad puncture to a hoof, but he goes to Liverpool in good form and, provided the occasion doesn't get to him, he has better claims than most.

Clan Royal is the one I fear most. He won the Topham Chase last year and, although no horse in modern times has gone on to complete the Topham-National double, he has since returned to win the Becher Chase and obviously loves the place.

He should stay this marathon trip, hasn't stopped improving, and is on a handy mark. Amberleigh House has a superb record over these fences and, despite being handicapped even worse than last year when third to Monty's Pass, the Aintree factor brings him into the reckoning and I can see him making the frame again.

What's Up Boys broke a bone in a hock on his only run last season after chasing home Bindaree here two years ago. He is bound to improve for his Wincanton comeback and, while there is a question mark as to whether he is the same horse after such a lengthy spell on the sidelines, he has a definite chance.

Martin Pipe holds the strongest hand in terms of numbers. He runs seven and the pick is Jurancon who was successful over four miles on fast ground last summer. More recently, he won in fine style from another National contender Bear On Board at Haydock.

Undeniably well handicapped on his Haydock run, he might be the one that provides Tony McCoy with that elusive first National success. He could be the ideal type for the job, but he wouldn't want the ground to ease appreciably, and another worry is his age. He's only seven.

Money doesn't buy everything as owner Trevor Hemmings has found to his cost. He desperately wants to win a Grand National and Hedgehunter represents his best chance.

He has a good record in big handicaps although I am not convinced he is an out-and-out stayer after seemingly failing to get home in the Welsh National.

Joss Naylor is without a prep-run and every winner in the past 50 years have had one. Ignoring that, he has the profile of a progressive and well-treated chaser who, nevertheless, could be found out by his lack of experience.

History is against Monty's Pass repeating last year's victory. He also faces a formidable task following a 14lb rise. Artic Jack, another Hemmings-owned candidate, has too much on his plate at the weights after paying the penalty for beating a below-par Kingscliff at Haydock.

Tyneandthyneagain, carrying the same colours as the 2001 hero Red Marauder, will either "love it or hate it," according to his trainer Richard Guest, on his first attempt. He is well handicapped if he takes to the fences but needs testing conditions.

Gunner Welburn was fourth last year and I cannot see him improving on that as it seemed to stretch his stamina to the limit.

Ardent Scout has previous experience of these fences, having made the frame in the last four runnings of the Becher Chase, and has place prospects.

Exit to Wave could be an interesting outsider, but it's Bindaree for me, to be followed home by Clan Royal, What's Up Boys and Amberleigh House.