Lake View Lad aimed at £1-million Randox Health Grand National as owner Trevor Hemmings seeks record fourth success in the world’s greatest chase at Aintree

 

Friday, January 25, 2019 - Owner Trevor Hemmings has enjoyed three successes in the Randox Health Grand National and one of his contenders for an unprecedented fourth Aintree victory in the 2019 renewal of the £1-million spectacular is Lake View Lad.

His three Randox Health Grand National victories have come courtesy of Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and Many Clouds (2015).

 

If successful in 2019, Hemmings would become the most successful owner of all time in the Aintree spectacular. He currently shares the honour with James Machell, Sir Charles Assheton-Smith (previously Charles Duff) and Noel Le Mare, who famously had three victories with the legendary Red Rum in the 1970s.

 

Staged over four miles, two furlongs and 74 yards, with 30 fences jumped, on Saturday, April 6, the Randox Health Grand National is the world’s greatest chase and the most valuable Jump race anywhere in the world.

 

Entries for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National close at noon on Tuesday, January 29 and will be revealed 24 hours later on Wednesday, January 30.

 

Weights for the famous G3 handicap chase are unveiled at the iconic Cunard Building in Liverpool on Tuesday, February 12, for the first time – the weights’ ceremony has previously been held in London. 

 

The Randox Health Grand National is the only race for which senior BHA Jump handicapper Martin Greenwood is able to deviate from official ratings in allotting weights. Greenwood is handicapping the Randox Health Grand National for the first time in 2019 after Phil Smith’s retirement.

 

Nine-year-old Lake View Lad is trained near Leslie in Fife, Scotland, by Nick Alexander and was purchased by Hemmings ahead of a winning seasonal reappearance in the Listed Rehearsal Chase over just short of three miles at Newcastle on December 1.

 

He coped ably with the step-up in class on his latest outing at Wetherby on December 26, when he was the four-length winner of the G3 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase over three miles.

 

Alexander said: “Lake View Lad is in good form and we would like to run him soon, but we have been waiting for the wet weather to arrive.

 

“It was brilliant to win the Rowland Meyrick and the Rehearsal Chase - a wonderful month - and I was delighted with both of his performances.

 

“He is a horse who enjoys soft ground, and heavy is also ideal for him.

 

“Lake View Lad is owned by Trevor Hemmings and will be entered in the Grand National.

 

"He is a very good jumper. We won’t know if he stays four and a quarter miles for the National until he tries it, I don’t suppose.”

 

Two Randox Health Grand National winners have been trained in Scotland – Rubstic (1979) and One For Arthur (2017).

 

The 2018 hero Tiger Roll (Gordon Elliott IRE) jointly heads the ante-post market for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National at 20/1 with Betway, official betting partner of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.

 

If successful again on April 6, Tiger Roll would become the first horse to register back-to-back victories since Red Rum in 1973 and 1974.

 

Betway’s other 20/1 joint-favourite is Invitation Only (Willie Mullins IRE), successful in yesterday’s valuable Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park. Lake View Lad is a 33/1 chance.

 

The Randox Health Grand National Festival gets underway with Grand National Thursday on April 4, continues with Ladies Day (Friday, April 5) and finishes on Grand National Day (Saturday, April 6).

 

Tickets are available for purchase at aintree.thejockeyclub.co.uk

 

About Aintree Racecourse / The Jockey Club

Aintree is home to The Randox Health Grand National, the most famous horse race in the world which is the climax to a three-day Festival meeting in April every year. The racecourse hosts five other fixtures and is a leading conference centre in the north west of England.

 

More information is available at aintree.thejockeyclub.co.uk 

 

Aintree is part of The Jockey Club which stages thrilling sporting occasions including The Randox Health Grand National, The Cheltenham Festival and The Investec Derby. Millions of people every year enjoy the special experiences we offer through racing, music, food and entertainment. Governed by Royal Charter, every penny we make goes back into British Racing to help the sport thrive. We were founded in 1750 and today we are the largest commercial group in Britain's second-biggest spectator sport, operating 15 racecourses nationwide, The National Stud, Jockey Club Estates, Jockey Club Catering, Jockey Club Live and our charity, Racing Welfare.

For more information visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk

 

For further information please contact:

Grant Rowley, Regional Communications Manager, The Jockey Club (North West) on 07884 655990 or email: Grant.Rowley@thejockeyclub.co.uk

 

Jessica Dalgliesh, Senior Communications Executive, The Jockey Club (North West) on 07464 491507 or email: Jessica.Dalgliesh@thejockeyclub.co.uk