The word ‘heavy’ no longer appears in the going description for the Grand National course after a dry night on Tuesday and the track was “quietly drying out” on Wednesday according to Andrew Tulloch, Aintree’s clerk of the course. How quietly should become apparent when 22 runners are due to go to post for the Foxhunters’ Chase a few hours after the final declarations are made for the National itself. Talking Horses: Katie Walsh has Baie Des Iles ready for Grand National bid Read moreA slow-motion finish will be taken as final confirmation that the National on Saturday will be the most demanding test since the famous fences were modified with plastic cores before the 2013 renewal. O’Connor is an amateur jockey in name only, as his winning ride on Edwulf in this season’s Irish Gold Cup demonstrated. The gamble on Katie Walsh’s mount Baie Des Iles for the Grand National continued on Wednesday, and the grey is now top-priced at 16-1 (from 20-1) having been available at 66-1 last week.

Source: The Guardian April 11, 2018 18:29 UTC