Age: 9
Weight: 10st 4lb
Latest odds: 33/1 with William Hill.
Owner: Baroness Harding
Grand National record:
No previous runners.
Trainer: Robert Walford
Grand National record:
No previous runners
Form
P3521/F22352/1197/513P-3133
Bidding to become the first horse to win both the Becher Handicap Chase, which is run over the Grand National fences but a trip of 3m 2f, and the Grand National in the same season.
Walk In The Mill stayed on well to beat the fast finishing Vieux Lion Rouge by 4 1/2 lengths in the former in December.
Amberleigh House (2001 and 2004) and Silver Birch (2004 and 2007) also won the Becher Handicap Chase three years before capturing the Grand National.
Earth Summit (1998) won both races in the same calendar year, but those victories fell within different seasons.
The Becher, in which One For Arthur finished fifth (2016) before going to land the big one later that campaign (2017), is thus a useful trial for the Grand National.
Walk In The Mill missed out on last year’s Grand National when he made the final field of 40 as a reserve, but became a non-runner after being found lame on the day.
He’s made two appearances over hurdles since his Becher Handicap Chase success, finishing third in novice contests at Chepstow and at Exeter.
Walk In The Mill has only failed to complete once in in 23 starts, when brought down by a loose horse at Auteuil (France) back in April 2015.
Looks handily weighted and has proven form over the course, so has a big each-way shout.
Jumps race record
SStarts: 23
Wins: 5
2nd: 4
3rd: 6
Win & Place Prize Money: £157,115
OpenOdds five-star rating
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