Saint Are’s last tilt at National
The Staffordshire owner of Saint Are claims his horse is in sparkling condition ahead of a final crack at the Grand National tomorrow.
David Fox is tipping the 12-year-old to land a fourth top-10 finish at what is expected to be his last appearance in the world’s most famous steeplechase.
Saint Are boasts a fine pedigree around the Aintree course, finishing ninth on debut six years ago.
That was followed up with second place in 2015 and third just 12 months ago.
Fox, who lives near Rugeley, said: “It’s one hell of a record. I’m not sure there is any other horse in the field who can boast that kind of consistency.
“He has experience around the fences and that counts for a lot. He has been round them four times.
“In all honesty, this will probably be his last. He is 12 now.
“That does not mean he is past it, not by any means. He’s as lively as he’s ever been and there are plenty of older horses who have been in the race.
“But the trouble is the ground never seems to be firm enough for him. He needs it firm and at the moment there has simply been too much rain.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed it will be good to soft. But at the moment they are predicting soft to heavy.
“I still think he will make the top 10. But if the ground is too soft, it will be tough for him to win.”
Whatever happens tomorrow, Fox claims Saint Are has already given him plenty of memories to cherish.
“He’s the kind of horse you dream of, he’s been fantastic,” he said. “He’s full of stamina. The one thing he can’t do so well is accelerate, which is why he needs the right ground.
“You need a bit of luck with the National. If he gets into the right position, then you never know.”
