Lucinda Russell’s William Hill blog: Grand National meeting runners

William Hill ambassador Lucinda Russell previews her Grand National meeting runners.

Thursday, Aintree

We start the Grand national meeting with our old favourite, Ahoy Senor, in the Aintree Bowl (2.55pm). He’s back to a track he loves and while it’s disappointing to arrive here off the back of a fall, we’ve been really pleased with his schooling. He seemed to lose his concentration last time in the Gold Cup, so hopefully that schooling session has just sharpened him up a bit. He clearly goes well at this time of the year and we’re hoping he can give a good account of himself. It’s a great shame that Derek Fox can’t ride him, but it’s a lovely opportunity for Patrick Wadge, and hopefully it all goes to plan.

Things certainly didn’t go to plan for Primoz at Cheltenham when the start did not suit him at all – we’ve put a big line through that race and are looking forward to running him in the Red Rum (4.40pm). He’ll love the good ground and hopefully we get luckier at the beginning of the race, so that he can get into a good rhythm. You can never be sure in a big-field Aintree handicap, but we like his chances.

Friday, Aintree

Serious Operator looks like he’s a big price in the William Hill-sponsored two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle, and I think he can outrun his odds. He’s a bit of a character and he needs to have things the way he likes them, but you can really put a line through last year’s run at this meeting when the ground was too soft. He’ll love the quicker ground and although it looks like he’s been off for a year, he’s been in training more or less the whole time and he can give a nice show of himself. He’s got a great each-way chance.

We run Jet To Vegas in the Top Novices’ Hurdle (2.55pm). He’s an improving horse, and he’ll probably have to improve again, but he travels well and the track and trip should suit. For me, he’s going to be a really good two-mile chaser, so whatever he does here should be a bonus.

Later on we run two in the Sefton (4.40pm), which we’ve been lucky to win with Ahoy Senor and Apple Away recently. Jupiter Des Mottes is a lightly raced type who doesn’t show much at home, and the trip should be perfect for him, given he’s so laidback. It’s a big jump in class but we’re looking forward to running him, alongside King Of Answers, who might have his work cut out.

Old Gregorian goes in the boys’ race (5.15pm) and I think the set up of the race should suit. He’s ran belters in his last two starts at both Kelso and Musselburgh respectively, and he could have a squeak here. If he can put in a similar effort, we’d hope he can be competitive, but it is going to be a hard race to win.

Saturday, Aintree

It’s obviously hugely exciting to get our Cheltenham Festival winner Myretown (2.30pm) out again after his heroics three weeks ago. We thought about running him in the Grade One staying chase on the Friday, but we decided to avoid that as it was looking particularly hot. The plan had been to put him away for the summer after Cheltenham, but he’s in such good form we thought it might be good to roll the dice and head to Aintree. While he’s lightly raced, I think it’s good to strike while the iron’s hot, and hopefully he can be as good again come Saturday.