Many Clouds primed for Aintree test

Crabbie's Grand National winner Many Clouds is in fine form ahead of Saturday's Betfred Lotto '£100K Cash Giveaway' Chase at Aintree.

Oliver Sherwood's horse carried 11st 9lb, the highest weight since Red Rum defied 12st in 1974, to victory in the £1-million Grand National on April 11.

The eight-year-old has run once since, when making his seasonal debut in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on October 31 and finishing sixth to Cue Card.

Sherwood said: "Many Clouds worked super this morning and I am very happy with him ahead of his second start this season. Where we go after Saturday, I don't know. Don Poli is in Saturday's race and he is one I don't want to take on but Willie Mullins has horses in everywhere this weekend.

"This yard has had another Grand National winner. Battleship (1938), the smallest horse ever to win the Grand National under the youngest jockey (Mr Bruce Hobbs, 17), was stabled in the last box down the left-hand side. That was when Reg Hobbs trained here.

"Many Clouds loves posing for photos. Even the day after the Grand National, he walked down to the centre of Lambourn and all the way back and he was as fresh as paint. He just loved all the attention and he knows he is King Kong. He is laid-back but he can take a tug. This morning, in his work, he was quite keen. He is the proverbial gentle giant.

"I want to keep the dream still alive for next April and his race programme is geared to that. We didn't school him over National fences prior to the race last season on purpose. Leighton (Aspell - jockey) and I discussed it and thought that was the best policy. Sometimes you don't know if a horse will take to the Grand National fences for a second time; having said that the Grand National fences are different from when I rode over them. I am sure he will do well over them again but I don't want to upset the apple cart.

"I want Many Clouds to have as easy a time as possible building up to the Crabbie's Grand National in April but he must have the competitiveness, meaning he has got to have the races, which is necessary.

"I was pleased that he did not run in the Hennessy (won the Newbury race in 2014) again this year. With Coneygree coming out, he would have ended up on top-weight and had a hard race on soft ground.

"At Aintree on Saturday, there will only be seven or eight runners. The Mildmay is a fast course but it is going to be soft ground. If it was good ground, I would be worried. People were concerned before the Grand National that he needed soft going. Ground doesn't bother him, it is more the trip. Over four and a quarter miles, nobody wants a heavy-ground National and he was victorious on slightly soft going.

"I didn't want Many Clouds to run in the 2015 Grand National, thinking it was a year too soon so Trevor (Hemmings - the horse's owner) has to take a lot of credit. It would be unbelievable to go back and do it again.

"I have faith in Many Clouds big time. Leighton was really happy with him at Wetherby. Our horses were needing a run and he looked after him once his chance had gone. Many Clouds jumped the first two as though they were Becher's Brook but was only five lengths behind Cue Card going to the second last and then blew up. I don't know why but all my horses were doing that then.

"It was horrible ground at Wetherby and we were just caught out. And look what the winner Cue Card has done since. Many Clouds is pretty fit now and the horses are running well - they have been in good form over the last couple of weeks. He is ready to rock and roll. There won't be any excuses fitness-wise unless he makes a mistake or two.

"Saturday will be the first time I have been back to Aintree since the Crabbie's Grand National victory. I am still remember the day as though it was yesterday so I am really looking forward to returning there."

With all roads leading to Aintree, Sherwood has ruled out another attempt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup, even though Many Clouds took in both races last season.

"Many Clouds was the first horse to win the Hennessy and the Grand National in the same season. He won't run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup this season - I am 99 per cent certain of that. Last season, there was a four-week gap between Cheltenham and Aintree - I think there are three weeks this year which is too close. He does need time between his races.

"Where we go after Saturday, I am open at the moment; the Denman at Newbury is one of the possibilities. I am guessing it will be one race, maximum two, after Saturday and then the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National but I need to see how he goes on Saturday.

"I would love to get a win into him to give us all a bit of confidence ahead of Aintree in April. The huge advantage this season is that I don't have to protect his handicap mark because he can only carry 1lb more. There is talk of Silviniaco Conti being in the 2016 Crabbie's Grand National and Willie Mullins is bound to have something in as well so we could end up with less than 11st 9lb he had last year which would be a huge plus. All I need to do is to get him to the Grand National in peak condition and I hope the ground is the same as it was last season, on the soft side of good.

"He handles heavy ground but, over the Grand National distance, just on the easy side of good is ideal. It is beautiful turf on the Grand National course.

"I have room for 60 horses and I have 60 horses so I am content. 150 horses would send me to an early grave. I got some new owners after the National win and the best way to attract them is to have winners and big winners. I am still as hungry as I have always been. The Crabbie's Grand National win gave me huge confidence. I hadn't realised what a worldwide race it is. I had to do interviews from America, Japan and Australia the week after.

"I am unlikely to enter anything else for the Crabbie's Grand National besides Many Clouds. My record in the race prior to last season was poor as I hadn't had a horse complete the course.

"I always thought Many Clouds would have the build to be a National horse. People say what is a National horse and I reply that I don't really know.

"A horse has to be willing to try hard but also needs a certain cuteness. Many Clouds is very clever with his jumping, popping away. I don't know what makes a National horse but most importantly they have to be brave and got to be cute."

Sherwood is likely to also run Financial Climate at Aintree on Saturday, but Newbury winner Rouge Et Blanc won't be making the journey to Liverpool.

"Financial Climate will probably run in Saturday's Betfred Becher Chase over the Grand National course. He is out of the handicap but not too much.

"Rouge Et Blanc, who won at Newbury on Friday, is in the Betfred Grand Sefton Chase but, being way out of the handicap, is likely to miss the race."

The going at Aintree is currently Soft, Heavy in places on the Mildmay and National courses and Soft on the Hurdles course ahead of Saturday's card.

Andrew Tulloch, Clerk of the Course at Aintree, said: "We have undertaken routine maintenance to the Grand National Course since April.

"The spruce started to go on three weeks ago and I have to give huge appreciation to the groundstaff. For the last 10 days, there has been pretty continuous drizzle and rain along with plenty of wind which makes for hard and tiring conditions to dress the fences with spruce.

"They are in the process of dressing the last two fences on the far side and then there is just the Chair and the water jump to do.

"I am pleasantly surprised how well the Grand National Course has taken the rain - we have not had racing on it since April. We are Soft, Heavy in places there and the Chase Course is probably a bit easier because it has been raced on and opened up. The bends and hurdles on the Hurdle Course have been moved to the outside configuration to provide fresh ground.

"We have great entries for Saturday and hopefully a couple of dry days will mean conditions are not too bad. The forecast from tomorrow onwards is for drier weather, less breezy and brighter, with some showers. I am hoping for a dry day on Saturday."