The winners of each of the last three Grand National trails will feature amongst a field of sixteen declared runners at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon. David Pipe has entered one of two horses into the three-and-a-half-mile handicap chase including 2017 winner Vieux Lion Rouge who will feature alongside stablemate Ramses De Teillee who finished second to Colin Tizzard’s Elegant Escape in the Welsh National in December. Tizzard also has Robinsfirth and Royal Vacation lined up for Haydock this weekend.
Venetia Williams-trained Yala Enki tops the weights with 11st 12lb, a substantial increase of 1st 1lb against the weight carried when triumphing last year by some 54 lengths.
Other trainers represented by two runners are Neil Mulholland with Carole’s Destrier and Impulsive Star, the latter winning the Warwick Classic Chase. Nigel Twiston-Davies will be represented by Ballyarthur and Ballyoptic.
Sue Smith has one runner in the form of Wakanda who beat Robinsfirth in the Peter Marsh Chase last month.
The sole Irish representative is Ah Littleluck from Thomas Gibney’s yard while the remainder of the line-up consists of Bishops Road, The Two Amigos, Red Infantry, Chef D’Ouvre and Pobbles Bay.
Declared Runners
Yala Enki
Ramses De Teillee
Vieux Lion Rouge
Robinsfirth
Royal Vacation
Ballyarthur
Ballyoptic
Carole’s Destrier
Impulsive Star
Ah Littlebuck
Wakanda
The Two Amigos
Red Infantry
Bishops Road
Chef D’Oeuvre
Pobbles Bay
