Grand National favourite removed from Aintree race after Cheltenham win | Racing | Sport
Myretown has been scratched from running in the William Hill Handicap Chase on Saturday at the Randox Grand National Festival. The eight-year-old was an 11/4 favourite for the race following his sensational win at the Cheltenham Festival last month.
The Lucinda Russell-trained gelding was well-gambled ahead of the Ultima Handicap Chase and duly justified the support, cruising to victory under Patrick Wadge after going off a 13/2 favourite.
After cruising to an 11-length success, many punters expected Myretown to follow up at Aintree and complete a quick-fire double at the two biggest meetings in the National Hunt calendar. However, achieving such a feat is no longer on the cards.
The reason for his scratching remains unclear at this stage, though jockey Wadge is likely to be disappointed by the news given that his only other ride on Saturday is on Moon Phases in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, a 150/1 outsider.
They enjoyed success in the race in 2017 when One For Arthur became the second horse trained in Scotland to land the Aintree steeplechase. Corach Rambler then repeated the feat in 2023, just a month after winning the Ultima.
The gelding attempted to defend his crown last year and was a well-fancied 15/2 shot. However, Corach Rambler made a clumsy error at the first fence to unseat jockey Derek Fox and put an end to his chances.
Speaking after Myretown’s victory in the Ultima, Russell drew comparisons with her rising star and Corach Rambler, telling ITV: “We knew that if Myretown jumped round, he was phenomenally well-handicapped. I just didn’t know if he was going to be man enough, and it’s very exciting that he is. he’s a novice horse, his jumping has been a bit hit and miss, he turned upside down at Windsor, but since then we ran him at Kelso and he’s got his confidence back.
“He’s a bit different to Corach Rambler – he jumps so exuberantly. Corach is just a different sort of horse, but this is a phenomenal horse.”
