With ground conditions drying out at Aintree, trainer Tony Martin is optimistic his Martell Grand National runner Davids Lad will stay the gruelling four and a half miles a week on Saturday. Davids Lad won last year's Irish Grand National over three miles and five furlongs and will be bidding to emulate Bobbyjo, who won at Fairyhouse in 1998 before going onto Aintree glory the following season.
The going on the Grand National course is currently described as soft, good to soft in places.
"Good ground would suit. The better the ground the better the chance he has of staying," Martin said today. "He has that bit of gear. I've always thought him a speed horse but I think he'll get the trip held up."
Davids Lad warmed up for the Grand National with a promising third to Royal Auclair in the Cathcart Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. "I was very pleased with that and he'll benefit for the run and hopefully he'll improve a lot," Martin said.
Some of Martin's horses have been running below par recently and the County Meath trainer has been forced to move some of them away from the main string but he has no plans to bring Davids Lad over to Aintree any earlier. He said: "We've got some horses with problems but Davids Lad is separated from them and he's fine. We'll just bring him over on Wednesday or Thursday."
Davids Lad is a best-priced 14-1 chance for the Grand National.
Filed by Laura Reynolds
