McCoy seeking Royal acclaim

But, privately, the man who has put the record books through the shredder on the way to 10 consecutive jockeys' championships concedes that his stellar career will not be complete if he retires without tasting victory in the world's most famous steeplechase.

"The National is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and the atmosphere around the whole occasion is like no other race," he said.

"You don't think of the danger, and anyone who does shouldn't really be out there, but something has to give you a kick in life and the National certainly does."

The horse charged with giving McCoy his Aintree kicks this weekend is a big, ungainly 10-year-old with a name which will make him an automatic choice for those planning to spend much of Saturday billing and cooing over the delayed nuptials of a couple of posh old fogeys.

However, Clan Royal's three previous spins over the big Aintree fences prove that he has much more than an appropriate name to recommend him.

Look back to April 2003, when he galloped to an emphatic success in the Topham Chase. Or look back to November 2003, when he short headed Amberleigh House in a humdinger of a finish to the Becher Chase. But most of all, look back to National day last year, when he was mugged close home by Amberleigh House after his rider Liam Cooper dropped his whip when his mount blundered a mile out.

O'Neill is too much of an optimist to dwell on what might have been, while the sporting McManus opted to blame Clan Royal's National defeat more on the fact that the gelding raced too freely in the first half of the race rather than the fact that Cooper was whipless when he needed it most.

But both men know they signed up McCoy as their stable jockey just weeks after last year's National in order to ensure such costly errors don't come back to haunt them again.

And, despite the fact that O'Neill's season has been ravaged by illness among his powerful Jackdaws Castle team, McCoy is optimistic that a traumatic first year in his new role can end with a win which would mean more to him than any other.

"Everyone will be worried that Clan Royal hasn't run since December, but I couldn't be happier with him," he added, "He's not an easy ride, as he's a big, heavy-headed horse, but he looked fantastic when I schooled him last week and the fact that he's just about favourite is a fair reflection of his chance."

McManus will need eyes in the back of his head on Saturday given that Le Coudray, Risk Accessor, Spot Thedifference, Shamawan and Innox will also be carrying his colours.

O'Neill is likely to be treble handed with Shamawan and Simply Gifted, but McCoy's hopes of an elusive first National success on royal wedding day rest solely on Clan Royal.

"Somewhere along the line in every National, your horse has to get it right, because you won't," he added. "The form book tells you that Clan Royal is an ordinary horse round normal courses and a very good horse over the National fences. Let's hope he shows it again on Saturday."

WILL IT BE 10TH TIME LUCKY?

1995 A frustrating Aintree debut as 25-1 chance Chatam falls before halfway
1996 Set for third until 12-1 shot Deep Bramble breaks down two from home
1998 An early exit as enigmatic 12-1 chance Challenger du Luc falls at the first
1999 Sadness as 10-1 shot Eudipe falls fatally at Bechers on the second circuit
2000 Further frustration as 9-1 favourite Dark Stranger unseats him at the third
2001 Blowing Wind is backed from 50-1 to 16-1 and is remounted to finish third
2002 Another favourite and another defeat as Blowing Wind finishes third at 8-1
2003 Iris Bleu starts 8-1 second favourite only to be pulled up lame at halfway
2004 Jurancon is sent off 10-1 co-favourite but crashes out at the fourth fence