Jonjo O'Neill: Aintree Stable Tour Crabbie's Grand National meeting

Ian Ogg collates a horse-by-horse guide to Jonjo O'Neill's squad for the Crabbie's Grand National meeting at Aintree.

Shutthefrontdoor (Crabbie's Grand National)

"He’s in great form, schooling well and spot on really and we’re very happy with the way that everything is going.

"He’s not a hard horse to get ready, he’s a clean-winded horse. He was ready to run first time out at Carlisle, I know this is a different race but the fitness is the same.

"He’s going there fresh and well and we couldn’t be happier with him.

"We were thinking of the Gold Cup a bit as well so we had that in mind really, but I think he’s more of a National horse.

"You need a good horse, now, a good classy horse. You’ve got to have ability."

Holywell (Betfred Bowl)

"It was a great run [in the Cheltenham Gold Cup], he was beaten fair and square. The ground went against us a bit, he didn’t quite get home. 

"He was a bit tired for the first week to 10 days but he’s absolutely flying again now and did a lovely bit of work yesterday morning. He came alive there last year and seems to like the track so we’ll see how he goes, it’ll be a tough race."

Johns Spirit (Betfred Melling Chase)

"He’ll go and have a crack at it, there’s not much else for him really.

"On form, he’s not good enough but you have to have a crack and we’ll see and we can decide and see what the handicapper will do with him. After, he'll go back handicapping if he’s not good enough but he’s in great spirits and hopefully he won’t let us down."

Eastlake (Crabbie's Topham Chase)

"I'm not sure which way he goes, he’s never won further than two miles. We’re edging that way (the Topham) but we haven’t decided yet.

"He ran a great race [in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham], ran a blinder jumped well did everything right. He was a bit slow over the first couple of fences and it took him a while to warm up and Paul gave him a great ride, they just didn’t come back to him quick enough."

Twirling Magnet (Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase)

"He’s going to run. He’d like good ground. It’s just whether he takes to the place really. I think he probably went down a little bit fresh [in the National last year] and just overjumped."

Minella Rocco (Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle)

"He could be an exciting horse. A big nice chasing type of horse, he’s a horse to look forward to – the type of horse you’re looking for every year.

"He was very good at Newbury, it wasn’t the strongest of races but you can only beat what’s out in front of you.

"He might run three miles round there, we’ll put him in both [three mile and the two and a half mile Mersey Novices' Hurdle] and see but he’s in good form at the moment."

Box Office (Handicap Hurdle)

"He was flat out coming down the hill [in the Fred Winter] and I thought he’d come down to the second last easier than he did.

"He’s a nice horse at home. We like him but were just a bit disappointed with him at Cheltenham, it’s a different track and hopefully he’ll put up a good show but I just thought he had more speed to carry him into the race easier. We’ll see."