By Jon Lees
Champion jockey Paul Townend has named the horse he most wants to ride in the Randox Grand National.
Ireland’s champion jump jockey came the closest yet to winning the £1million race when third 12 months ago on Gailard Du Mesnil, his 12th Grand National ride.
Mullins still has 11 horses engaged in the big race but two of the trainer’s shortest priced contenders I Am Maximus and Meetingofthewaters are owned by billionaire J P McManus, who retains Mark Walsh as his jockey, and a third, Mr Incredible, is the regular mount of Brian Hayes.
Speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes, Townend said: “I would love to win a Grand National. It is missing from my CV. I am not sure what I am going to ride yet.
“Mark Walsh will have the pick of JP McManus’ horses, but I would be grateful if I could get on one of his. You can make a case for all three of his horses.
“I Am Maximus won the Irish Grand National last year for me, but Jodie McGarvey won a Grade 1 and then the Bobbyjo Chase the last day on him and could ride him.
“The ground is looking like it will be soft-to-heavy, and the slower ground will suit him. He will stay all day. How he takes to the fences is an unknown. He has his own way of doing things, but the modified fences should suit him if he can get into a rhythm.
“He is carrying plenty of weight, but the race nowadays is changing and allows the classier horses to carry weight and get away with it. The trip will be no bother to him and I think he has a huge chance.”
He continued: “Meetingofthewaters is unexposed and was a good winner of a handicap at Leopardstown before JP bought him.
“He ran well at Cheltenham, although a little keen. He has a lovely racing weight, and I’d really like to be on him.
“He hasn’t been around the track but shouldn’t have any problems taking to it. He is a novice, he is unexposed, and could be well ahead of the handicapper.”
Townend won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January on McManus’s other runner Capodanno.
“He carries plenty of weight but he is a classy horse,” he said. “His prep for Aintree last year was all over the place, and he pulled up. However he has the experience of going around the track and he took to the fences really well.
“We also have Mr Incredible who ran a huge race last year when the saddle slipped. I’d imagine Brian Hayes will keep the ride on him. You don’t know what you are going to get with him. He is a tricky individual. Brian gets on really well with him though.”
