Brassil hoping to strike it lucky in Grand National with Double Seven

Irish trainer Martin Brassil knows what it takes to win a Crabbie’s Grand National, and in the progressive Double Seven looks to have a live candidate to land this year’s race at Aintree on Saturday, April 5th.

The County Kildare handler sent out Numbersixvalverde to land the big race in 2006, and Double Seven look to have the ideal profile to follow in that one’s footsteps.

The eight-year-old has been a massive improver over fences, completing a five-timer on his penultimate start at Wexford off a mark of 146, having won the first of that sequence off 111.

His winning spree came to an end in the Carrickmines Handicap Chase at Leopardstown earlier in the month when he finished sixth of 12 behind Pass The Hat, but it was still a very eye-catching run.

The gelding was having his first outing for 126 days and was never really put into the race at any stage before keeping on under a tender ride to be beaten 17 1/2 lengths on ground that was softer than ideal.

That run should have blown away the cobwebs and out him spot on for Aintree, and his earlier win in the Munster National at Limerick suggest he is going to be a major player in the 4m 4f contest.

The son of Milan gave Spring Heeled 3lb and a two length beating in that contest, and the runner-up has franked the form by going on to land the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival.

That makes Double Seven look nicely weighted 10st 11lb in the National, and he is one of nine horses that leading Irish owner JP McManus has left among the 73 remaining entries.

Although not the most fancied of that team in the betting, he ticks plenty of the right boxes stats wise and could be the surprise package.

The last 10 winners of the race had run in at least 10 chases, won over 3m, and had a handicap rating above 135. Double Seven has all those credentials on his CV.

It’s also very rare for the going at Aintree to be testing, and there is a huge chance that he will get the good ground that he needs to be seen at his best.