David Pipe will send two of his three Grand National entries into the trial race at Haydock Park this weekend, the Pond House trainer winning the famous steeplechase in 2008 with Comply Or Die. Pipe will be looking for more Grand National glory on 6th April with as many as three possible runners in the big race at Aintree. Indeed it is possible that all three runners may take part in the Haydock trial on Saturday afternoon and the trainer was at the revealing of the weights on Tuesday where Vieux Lion Rouge was handed 10st 2lb, Daklondike 10st 4lb and Ramses De Teillee 10st 5lb by handicapper Martin Greenwood.
Despite currently being just outside the cut-off point at 58th, 45th and 43rd respectively, all three remain in with a chance of making the final line up in 8 weeks’ time. Ramses De Teillee finished second in the Welsh Grand National over Christmas behind fellow National entrant Elegant Escape. The seven-year-old is 8/1 for the Haydock trial and is a best price of 50/1 with Coral Bookmakers to win the Grand National itself.
Vieux Lion Rouge won the National trial two years ago with the ten-year-old finishing the last three runnings of the Aintree spectacular in seventh, sixth and ninth positions. He finished second in the Becher Chase behind Walk In The Mill but was pulled-up in his last outing in the Welsh National.
Vieux Lion Rouge is an ante-post price of 40/1 with BetVictor Bookmakers to win the 2019 Grand National with Daklondike a best price of 100/1.
Pipe said: “Ramses De Teillee had a wind op during the summer and has progressed this year, finishing second to Elegant Escape in the Welsh National. He has a lovely weight (in the Grand National).
“Ramses De Teillee, Daklondike and Vieux Lion Rouge are in the Grand National Trial at Haydock on Saturday and probably a couple of them will run there.”
