3 minute read
Jessica Harrington is planning to launch a twin assault on the Randox Topham Chase at Aintree.
The Moone-based trainer's leading contender for Friday's race over the Grand National fences appears to be Sizing Pottsie, who was last seen winning the Grade Two Webster Cup at Navan last month.
He is set to be joined by Discordantly, who landed a handicap chase at Leopardstown before being pulled up in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival.
The latter also holds an entry in the Grand National itself, but is 54th on the order of entry and will not make the cut, meaning he is poised to take in the shorter race.
Harrington said: "Hopefully Discordantly will run in the Topham, he's in good form. I hope they don't have a standing start because he blew his chance at Cheltenham with a standing start.
"He's jumping well and two-mile-five is probably his ideal distance, he won over it in Leopardstown.
"As long as it's not heavy ground he doesn't mind it."
Of Sizing Pottsie, she added: "He will run as well. He's in great order, he won well last time.
"He'll stay well and jumps well. It doesn't matter if it gets soft for him at all."
Harrington's other likely runner on Merseyside is Ashdale Bob, who is a general 10-1 shot for the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle on Saturday.
The trainer feels the seven-year-old "could be placed" in the three-mile Grade One off the back of finishing third under a big weight in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham.