Time for fun on the House

13 April 2012

People who back rank outsiders for the Grand National are a nice bunch. They have a sunny disposition, are always hopeful and when they tear their betting ticket up, usually do so with a phrase like: "Well, it was a bit of fun wasn't it?"

So for all of you who are scoffed at by racing's hard core punters - you know the sort, bite their fingernails, always moaning about "useless jockeys" and seem to get no joy at all out of the sport - here is an ideal candidate for your 50p each-way.

Amberleigh House is a 100-1 shot at present, and while the nine-year-old gelding has not done much to belie those odds just lately, it is amazing what a few lungfulls of Aintree air can do in the rejuvenation stakes.

On the plus side, Amberleigh House, a long backed son of Buckskin, is trained by the ace National handler Ginger McCain, who sent Red Rum out to triumph a record three times. That speaks for itself, and the fact that last May, when with Michael Hourigan in Ireland, he won a Grade Three Handicap at Punchestown over two miles and six furlongs, running on strongly to beat the useful Monnaie Forte by a length and a half, is another clue for the eternal optimist.

Man in the hot seat for the world's greatest steeplechase on Saturday is Warren Marston, top freelance jockey, who knows his way round the Liverpool test, having finished ninth on Jenny Pitman's Garrison Savannah in 1995.

Marston has also got round on Lusty Light and was going well last year on The Gopher, when they fell at the thirteenth. He said: "In the summer Amberleigh House was a classy kind of horse. He won at Punchestown with around 12 stone on his back (he carries 10st-5lb in the National) and was not beaten far by Florida Pearl on another occasion. He just seems to have lost his way a little bit lately.

"I have only ridden him the once, around Haydock, where he jumped very well but found the three miles too much. Yet a two-and-a-half mile horse can win at Aintree over the four miles plus, as has been shown time and time again."

If a good education is a form line for a Grand National jockey, Marston should be the market leader. The Worcester born rider went to the exclusive Millfield public school in Somerset leaving at 16 to take up racing.

His father, a wines and spirits importer, had horses with the late Fred Rimell among others and Warren hunted with the upper class Ledbury.

Marston first went to David Morley's yard at Newmarket where he was at that "in between" stage - too heavy for the Flat but too light for jumping. When he put on poundage he moved to David Nicholson's old stable at Condicote where he rode out his claim. Then, Jenny Pitman, with her son Mark, retiring from the saddle, took Marston on as her stable jockey. "Everybody said that Jenny would be a hard taskmaster, but I knew how lucky I was to get the job, and I found her on many occasions to be extremely fair," said Marston.

Their association produced many winners, but being number one jockey to "la Pitman" was not exactly the most secure job in the business (he once took the wrong course at Bangor to incur her vast displeasure) and they later split, Marston becoming one of the most able and consistent freelancers on the jumping circuit with around 50 winners a season.

Warren is no stranger to big race success, and has notched victories on Land Afar in the William Hill Handicap at Sandown and Lusty Light in the Charisma Gold Cup at Kempton.

An avid Aston Villa fan, Warren, 30, will be riding the race through the seat of his pants on Saturday, using the tried and tested philosophy of getting round for the first time and then deciding what to do if your horse is still standing up and its engine ticking over.

With the Red Rum-McCain connection on his side - it is 28 years ago that the National hero recorded the first of his three thrilling victories - Marston's mount comes with the right stable pedigree.

However, McCain also runs 40-1 chance Hanakham in the big one, a winner of the Royal Sun Alliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival during the 1996-7 season.

Amberleigh House has time on his side though, being three years younger than his stablemate. And as Marston adds: "If my fellow comes back to anywhere near his form in Ireland, he should run well at a big price."

That will do for me. I'm getting more confident by the minute. In fact I think I'll make it £1 each-way. I was always an impulsive gambler!

Time for fun on the House

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