Haiti Couleurs targets Nationals hat-trick after Irish and Welsh wins

Haiti Couleurs stands on the brink of a rare slice of racing history, with Rebecca Curtis’s runner carrying Welsh hopes of ending a 121-year wait for a home-trained winner of the Randox Grand National.

No horse prepared in Wales has won at Aintree since Kirkland in 1905, and Curtis believes the nine-year-old has a genuine chance to change that. He also has the opportunity to become the first horse to add the Merseyside showpiece to victories in both the Irish and Welsh Grand Nationals.

“He seems really well in himself. I’ve just freshened him up and not overdone him since the Gold Cup, but he seems as good as we’ve ever had him,” said Curtis.

“This will be a bit harder off his mark than the previous Nationals he has run in, but I think the race will really suit him and he obviously stays well and jumps well and we just need a bit of luck now I guess.”

Curtis feels the marathon test brings out the best in him, even if his Cheltenham Gold Cup effort came in very different circumstances.

“He’s run his best races in these marathon-type races and the Gold Cup then became an option because he went up so high in the ratings that he deserved his go at it,” said Curtis.

“The ground was so quick that day that it was all happening a bit fast. Sean (Bowen) still believes he just wasn’t at his best and to put a line through it, so it’s on to the next one now and hopefully the National will be more suitable for him.”

Another contender arriving with Festival form is Jonjo and A J O’Neill’s Johnnywho, whose rider Richie McLernon returns to Aintree with the chance to erase the memory of that heartbreaking defeat aboard Sunnyhillboy in the epic 2012 duel with Neptune Collonges.

“I’m very much looking forward to him, he’s been round the course before and was very good at Cheltenham, so I’m very happy to be going there with him,” said McLernon.

“It’s great for Jonjo and A J to have a horse as good as this to go to for the National with and it’s lovely to be a part of the team.

“It would be lovely to win the National after coming so close before. It’s a race which has changed a lot, but Cheltenham showed Johnnywho still has it, and he’s been round these fences in November, so you have to look forward to it.”

Johnnywho (above) forms part of a formidable squad put together by three-time National-winning owner JP McManus, whose colours will also be carried by the exciting novice Oscars Brother. The horse is trained by Connor King, who has only two horses, while brother Daniel takes the ride.

“He’s a grand horse and he may lack a little experience, but he ran a cracker at Cheltenham in the Brown Advisory and is definitely going in the right direction,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“It will be nice to see two young brothers have a chance in the National and it would be a story the race is all about.”

McManus enjoyed National success with Minella Times in 2021, delivering Henry de Bromhead a first win in the race, and the County Waterford trainer again heads to Aintree with a strong hand in Monty’s Star, Gorgeous Tom and Amirite.

De Bromhead said: “Monty’s Star has been running in plenty of Grade Ones, but he hasn’t managed to win one. He’s a very good horse, he was fourth in the Gold Cup last year and we said we’d give this a go this year.

“It was a very tough decision for Darragh (O’Keefe, jockey) to choose between him and Gorgeous Tom but I think it would be harder for him if he rode Tom and Monty’s won, given all the Grade Ones he’s run in.

“Gorgeous Tom is in great form too, he ran really well at Leopardstown the other day and this has been the plan since he ran at Newbury earlier in the season, so we’ll see how we go. It was a tight call for Darragh, but it’s great to have Sean (Flanagan) on him.”

Gordon Elliott, meanwhile, sends out three runners as he bids to join Ginger McCain and Fred Rimell as a four-time National-winning trainer, with stable jockey Jack Kennedy opting for the revitalised and Aintree-proven Gerri Colombe (above).

“He has improved with every run this season and it’s interesting that Jack thought he was a much happier horse on that nicer ground at Down Royal,” said Robbie Power, racing manager for owners Robcour.

“He’s won two Grade Ones at Aintree so clearly likes the place and Jack has schooled him over the replica National fences and he schooled very well.

“He’s a class horse and the way the race is, where weight doesn’t seem to matter anymore and class horses come to the fore, you can definitely make a case for him.”

Gerri Colombe is not alone from the Elliott yard. He is joined by stablemates Stellar Story, who runs in the Gigginstown silks made famous by Tiger Roll, and Favori De Champdou, runner-up in Cheltenham’s cross-country contest and following a route Elliott has used to National-winning effect before.

Gigginstown’s Eddie O’Leary said: “The softer the ground the better for Stellar Story. If it was soft ground, he’d have a much better chance

“Favori De Champdou is following that tried-and-tested cross-country route. He got a bit wired before the race at Cheltenham and probably lost the race there, so hopefully he’s a bit calmer going to the start on Saturday.”

Joseph O’Brien further strengthens the Irish challenge with two runners, 2024 King George winner Banbridge and Jordans.

“He has plenty of class and although the distance is a bit of a question mark, we know he likes the track and we know that conditions are going to be suitable,” said O’Brien of Banbridge.

“We think he’s the type that it is worth a shot with and he’s had a great preparation. We’ll not know about his stamina until he gets across the Melling Road, but we hope he can get into a nice rhythm, get that far and then we will find out.”

He went on: “Jordans has a nice profile for the race. He’s a young horse who is unexposed and has Aintree form. If he can find a nice rhythm through the first half of the race, you never know what might happen in the second half.”