behind when pecked and unseated rider 10th (Becher's Brook)
prominent, led 6th, headed when fell 13th, (Valentine's Brook)
tracked leaders, led 14th, ridden last, ran on strongly flat
in touch, ridden 3 out, soon weakened
held up, headway 9th, ridden 2 out, kept on one pace
chased leaders, mistake 8th, weakened next
in touch when hampered and unseated rider 3rd (The Chair)
held up, headway 10th, mistake 14th, ridden 3 out, weakened approaching last
prominent, left in lead 3rd, headed 6th, led again 13th to next, ridden 2 out, stayed on, no chance with winner
behind, headway 4th, ridden 4 out, stayed on well flat
prominent, ridden 4 out, stayed on one pace
jumped right, always behind, tailed off when pulled up before 14th
in touch, badly hampered and unseated rider 3rd (The Chair)
prominent, hampered and unseated rider 3rd (The Chair)
tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, soon weakened
prominent, fell 3rd (The Chair)
behind, steady headway 10th, fell 13th (Valentines Brook)
prominent, mistake and lost place 6th, behind when hampered and unseated rider 13th (Valentines Brook)
led until fell 3rd
Last years winning stable are represented by the enigmatic Irbee, who won't need much of an excuse to throw in the towel and once he see's how big some of these fences are, that may be too much for him. Now in the veteran stage, General Wolfe is one that does know his way around here having completed, albeit in his own time behind Bobbyjo and Lord Gyllene back in the 1999 and 1997 Grand National's respectively. Master Wood is another with experience of these fences having finished 13th in the John Hughes Trophy back in 2000. He has an experienced amateur on board and may run into a place. However, the one they all have to beat is Sheltering, who finished 4th in this race last year. He was somewhat disappointing at Cheltenham where he folded tamely going to the last. This shorter trip will be in his favour and he is taken to reverse last years form with Son Of Anshan, who comes into this in good form, having won his last two races, since blowing up on his comeback at Leicester.
