There’s British and Irish interest in the Grade 1 American Grand National at Far Hills on the outskirts of New York this Saturday evening (21:20).
Thriving veteran Wicklow Brave brings leading form claims into the 2m 5f contest run over hurdles in the USA.
Trained by Willie Mullins, the 10-year-old has won his last three starts and ran some huge races in defeat throughout 2019.
A useful dual purpose performer, Wicklow Brave plundered the Irish St Leger on the Flat back in 2016 when lowering the colours of Order Of St George.
He won four times last summer and has placed in the last two runnings of the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
Wicklow Brave landed that race in 2017, where he had the re-opposing Brain Power 3 1/4 lengths behind him in fifth.
After finishing down the field in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown and Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse, the gelding was far from disgraced when chasing home Espoir D’Allen in the Limestone Lad at Naas.
The ill-fated winner went on to bolt up by 15 lengths in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Wicklow Brave was a desperately unlucky loser at that premier British jumps meeting when chinned on the line by William Henry in the ultra-competitive Coral Cup.
Stays the trip
As that Grade 3 handicap hurdle is run over the same trip as the American Grand National, there are no worries about his stamina.
It was a huge effort off top-weight from Wicklow Brave and he was a fine third to dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D’Air at Punchestown.
Even his belated chase career has been successful with the son of Beat Hollow winning all three outings over fences so far.
Wicklow Brave has twice beaten Jan Maat in novice events and the runner-up advertised the form with victory in a Grade 3 at Punchestown in midweek.
As four horses aged 10 and over have won the American Grand National over the last 20 years, he has every chance of emulating those successes here.
Mullins is clearly serious about Wicklow Brave’s bid as stable jockey Paul Townend travels across the Atlantic for the leg up.
His official BHA hurdles mark of 156 is the highest among those who have raced in the UK and Ireland in the past.
Taking all that into account, Wicklow Brave can add another major success to his CV at 11/4 with Betway now switching back to hurdles in this Far Hills feature contest.
Elliott duo respected in American Grand National
Last year’s American Grand National hero Jury Duty is back to defend his crown. He’s one of two in the race for Irish trainer Gordon Elliott.
The eight-year-old scored by 3 1/4 lengths from Tornado Watch 12 months ago in a much weaker renewal than this. Jury Duty was also really race fit after three runs over late summer and early autumn.
Connections have given him just the one outing that they hope he will strip fitter for this time after coming sixth to Snow Falcon in the Grade 2 Gowran Park Champion Chase.
That is four places worse than last year, but Jury Duty wasn’t knocked about once it was clear he couldn’t win that 2m 4f event. He is sure to come on for that, but his best form is over further.
If there is one concern, it is the forecast going which is firm. Jury Duty has put his best foot forward on softer surfaces and he’s unlikely to get the yielding ground he scored in the American Grand National last year.
Although respected at 100/30 with Betfair, Jury Duty is taken on despite Robbie Power once again taking over in the saddle to reprise their successful partnership.
County Meath handler Elliott’s other runner, The Storyteller didn’t achieve the same level of form over hurdles but has claims on the pick of his novice chase form.
While the eight-year-old handled sounder surfaces fine in bumpers, he too is another that would prefer a bit of cut.
The Storyteller hasn’t scored since capitalising on subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo running out at the 2018 Punchestown Festival.
He finished over seven lengths ahead of Jury Duty then, but is a bigger price here at a standout 10/1 with Paddy Power.
Brain Power intriguing runner for Henderson
Seven Barrows handler Nicky Henderson has never won any Grand National despite decades of trying. He sends International Hurdle victor Brain Power stateside in search of breaking his duck.
This Michael Buckley owned eight-year-old has become quite enigmatic and hasn’t really taken to fences.
He still managed to chase home runaway 2018 Arkle winner Footpad at the Cheltenham Festival in that sphere, however.
Connections switched him back to hurdles last season and the decision paid off as he scored Grade 2 success in December.
Brain Power beat subsequent Champion Hurdle third Silver Streak by 1 3/4 lengths. He then failed to fire in both of his starts in the spring.
The son of Kalanisi pulled up in both the Champion Hurdle and Scottish equivalent, which is run as a Grade 2 handicap at Ayr.
Henderson’s stable jockey Nico de Boinville reports Brain Power has done two good pieces of work at Kempton before being shipped across the Atlantic for the American Grand National.
As he’s won on a sounder surface before and provided the cards drop right, he is unexposed at the trip like Wicklow Brave. That makes Brain Power worth an each-way chance at 13/2 with Unibet.
Scorpiancer best of the home team
Given the quality of British and Irish opposition, it’s unlikely that an American-based horse will be involved in the finish.
If the transatlantic raiders don’t fire at Far Hills, then Scorpiancer looks the pick of the home team.
One of three in this year’s American Grand National carrying the colours of owners Burton Street, the Jack Fisher trained 10-year-old was second in the race three years ago.
Since then, the son of Scorpion – which makes Scorpiancer related to Henderson chaser Might Bite – has landed two renewals of the Grade 1 Iroquois Hurdle at Percy Warner Parker.
He also ran a mighty race in defeat last time out when an 8 1/2 lengths fifth of nine to the re-opposing Surprising Soul in the Lonesome Glory Handicap Hurdle at Belmont Park.
Scorpiancer gave the winner a whole stone, but they now line-up again off level weights. That massive swing gives him every chance of reversing the form.
For all that Surprising Soul is a lightly-raced and unexposed seven-year-old, meeting Scorpiancer on 14lb worse terms puts Ross Geraghty’s mount at a major disadvantage.
Both are 16/1 chances with Unibet for the American Grand National.
Scorpiancer has race terms in his favour, so the ex-Rebecca Curtis inmate appeals most, because recent US import Rashaan is very difficult to win with.
