Reserves to be used again for Aintree showpiece
Image from Alamy – 2X0RAJX 13th April 2024; Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Merseyside, England: 2024 Grand National Festival Day 3; I am Maximus ridden by Paul Townend crosses the line to win The Randox Grand National Steeple Chase
Reserves will once more be allowed to take their place in the Grand National at Aintree this year after The Jockey Club confirmed their reinstatement following a two-year hiatus.
The move from the Grand National decision-makers is aimed at boosting the chances of a maximum field for the Randox Grand National by reintroducing late replacements for the £1 million race.
Reduced field alleviates issues
The Jockey Club’s head of racing Jon Pullin has confirmed that reserves will return for Aintree this year.
“In 2023 we announced several changes to the race, one of which being the reduction of field size from 40 to 34. As a result of this, some complications once faced around accommodating runners numbered beyond 40 are no longer so much of an issue,” he said.
With the maximum entry now reduced, previous issues have been removed. One reason they were ditched two years ago was that reserves had to take the racecard position of the declared runner they replaced, as the technology could not cope with horses numbered higher than 40.
That made the production of racecards and return of results challenging for a number of outlets and was an issue raised afterwards by the BHA, media and bookmakers.
The Jockey Club acknowledged there was a desire from within the racing community to allow reserves and any reserves will run as numbers 35 to 38 and appear in their rightful place at the bottom of the card in 2025.
Deadlines still apply for getting in
While the Jockey Club has admitted there was appetite from within racing to reinstate the reserves policy for the Grand National, some may still have concerns with the policy in place.
As was the case previously, the deadline for non-runners to be replaced by reserves will be 1pm on the day before the Grand National.
That means that 11th hour withdrawals will not be replaced. Had this system been in place for the 2024 race, the final field on raceday would have remained unaltered.
Run Wild Fred and Chambard were withdrawn on the morning of the race, meaning no provision would have been in place to see their spots taken.
Mullins hoping for Max repeat
The 2024 race was won by Willie Mullins‘ I Am Maximus, the 2023 Irish Grand National winner sent off 7/1 joint-favourite and scoring in handsome fashion under Paul Townend.
It was the first time Mullins had won the great race since Hedgehunter in 2005 and his second success overall, with the prizemoney pushing him towards ultimately becoming champion trainer in Britain for the first time in his decorated career.
I Am Maximus is around a 12/1 chance to emulate Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019 by winning successive Aintree Grand Nationals.
He was pulled up in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas on his first run since the spring and a return to Aintree on Saturday April 5 is suggested as his main target this season.
