Aidan Coleman in fitness race for Grand National
The 40 runners for the John Smith’s Grand National may have been confirmed, along with most of the jockey bookings. But fate and a crashing fall may yet deprive one man of the ride for which he has waited all year.
A year ago Aidan Coleman suffered the mental anguish when he chose the wrong horse and gave up the winning ride on Mon Mome in the National but this time the pain is of the physical nature and he will have to prove his fitness if he is to take up the ride on the second-favourite in the big race.
Coleman was unseated from Double Handful at the first flight in the Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle and then trampled on by the following horses. The field had to miss the hurdle on the final circuit as the stricken jockey was attended to by medical staff. Coleman had to be supported on the walk to the ambulance and was taken to Fazakerley Hospital for possible abdominal and shoulder injuries.
He was later discharged from hospital but will have to pass the racecourse doctors today in order to resume riding.
Tony McCoy will resume his 15-year long quest for a first Grand National winner when he rides JP McManus’s Don’t Push It, leaving the ride on Can’t Buy Time, also owned by McManus and trained by Jonjo O’Neill, to Richie McLernon, who is set to have his first ride in the race.
Amateur Nina Carberry has been booked to ride the John Quinn-trained Character Building, who was bought earlier this week by Patricia Thompson, owner of the 1992 winner Party Politics, who was also bought close to that race. Confirming the booking, Quinn said: “Mrs Thompson said she was a huge fan of Nina and said she would like her to ride the horse if Tony McCoy, Ruby Walsh or a top jockey was not available.
“She asked me what I thought and one could only say that she’s outstanding. Mrs Thompson asked me to book Nina so I rang to ask her if she’d like the ride and she said she’d be delighted.”
Character Building will be Carberry’s second National ride, Forest Gunner finished ninth in 2006, as she attempts to follow a proud family record. Her brother, Paul, won the 1999 National on Bobbyjo, trained by their father Tommy who also rode the winner in 1975 on L’Escargot.
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