Purple Grand National Horses

A cheap (£17,000) purchase after winning an ordinary Maiden point to point in Ireland, Corach Rambler wasted no time in underlining what a value purchase he was by winning his first race for his new connections at 14/1. That victory was in a three mile, Class four novice hurdle at Ayr and the style of that victory prompted his new trainer, Lucinda Russell, to push the gelding up to Class two level for his second race for the stable at Musselburgh. Sent off at 40/1 that day , this test was too much for the youngster and he finished a well beaten sixth behind the likes of Threeunderthrufive and Fantasikas. Russell went back to calmer waters for Corach Rambler’s next race, another Class four novice hurdle, this time at Carlisle. Dropping back down in grade did the trick and Derek Fox steered the gelding to another victory, again at tasty odds (12/1).  The following season was to be Corach Rambler’s first over fences and he was given a nice introduction over the larger obstacles at Perth in September. The two mile four furlong trip was always likely to be on the sharp side and so it proved but he caught the eye staying on well into third place. He obviously went into many a notebook after that Perth run as he started 5/2 favourite on his next run in a Novices Handicap Chase at Aintree, but the market confidence was justified as the gelding recorded an easy six lengths victory. From Aintree it was on to a similar race at Cheltenham where another win was registered, beating the progressive Eva’s Oscar by two lengths. Lucinda Russell then stepped the gelding up in grade to the Class 1 Classic Chase at Warwick where he ran well to finish fourth to the ill-fated Eclair Surf. An uncharacteristic jumping blemish occurred next up in the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot where Corach Rambler unseated Derek Fox at the fifth last fence. Connections were obviously not too concerned by the unseat at Ascot as they pitched him next into the white hot atmosphere of the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The gelding’s supporters at Cheltenham had an unsettling start to the race as he was slowly away and then was short of room just after the start. This tardy start made up Derek Fox’s mind regarding riding tactics and the jockey settled on a hold up ride. Creeping away in such a big field worked well and Corach Rambler made up ground on the whole field from three out but was still third jumping the last. Fox conjured up a late burst of pace from his mount, passed the two horses in front of him with time to spare and won going away at the line. This was Lucinda Russell’s second Cheltenham Festival winner and with the stable also having previously won a Grand National with One For Arthur, the big race at Aintree was the obvious long term target for Corach Rambler. This season has started slowly again for the eight-year-old gelding with a well-beaten fifth over an inadequate trip at Carlisle. Russell then targeted the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury where he perhaps found the ground on the quick side but finished a staying-on fourth behind impressive winner, Le Milos. Russell was very pleased with his effort at Newbury saying he looked as if he needed further but that he had jumped superbly. The trainer also stated that the Grand National was definitely the target this season, but that did not stop Corach Rambler successfully defending the Ultima Chase again this year. That success saw Corach Rambler raised ten pounds but as the weights for Aintree were already set he raced that amount 'well-in' and ran out a comfortable winner of the Grand National. Lucinda Russell looks likely to aim Corach Rambler at the Grand National once again in 2024 but will race from much higher in the handicap.

Nicky Henderson’s runners can usually be found very near the top of the market but not so with Mister Coffey who finds himself a fair way down the price list, probably due to his trainer’s very poor record in this race. Henderson has had two horses finish runner-up in the National - Zongalero in 1979 and The Tsarevich in 1987 - but since then it has been very lean pickings for the master of Seven Barrows. Since 1998 Henderson has had twenty-four runners in the Grand National with none of those horses making the top four. In fact, only five of those runners completed the course with the best finish being Liberthine who finished fifth in 2007.  So, due to Henderson’s awful record in this race, Mister Coffey may be unfairly overlooked. The horse has also been called some names as some pundits have questioned his resolution in a finish, something that does seem to be confirmed by his record of six second place finishes from fifteen attempts. Mister Coffey won three of his first four races but has failed to make the winners’ enclosure since then. The other side of the coin is that he has only failed to make the first four home twice in those fifteen runs so might appeal as an interesting each-way play or a place only bet.  The eight-year-old gelding does have some decent form having finished runner-up in last season’s Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival (usually a good trial for the National) and finishing second to the improving Guetapan Collonges in a decent race at Uttoxeter where the front two finished ten lengths in front of the rest of the field. Mister Coffey also finished third last month in the National Hunt Chase (another traditionally good trial for Aintree). Henderson also gave the gelding a spin over the National fences last season in the Topham where he went off the 5/1 favourite but trailed in a disappointing fifty-eight lengths behind the winner that day. No explanation could be found for that poor showing but the gelding had lost his front-right shoe.  Mister Coffey is a young horse with decent form in some good trial races for the National and has experience of completing the course in a race over the National fences. If the curse of Nicky Henderson’s runners in the National does not put you off he could be a decent each-way play at a reasonably big price.