Daryl Jacob will not return to action for the end of the jumps season as he continues to recover from a broken collarbone.
Last season’s Cambridgeshire hero Astro King returns to headquarters to contest the bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.
JP McManus saw his colours carried to victory in race four through Three In A Row and 35 minutes later his silks were also victorious on Crecora Hills in the mares' handicap hurdle.
Paddy Twomey looks set to have no less than three runners in the Irish 1,000 Guineas as his yard is well-stocked with promising fillies.
Three In A Row justified 11/5 favouritism in the novice handicap hurdle at Naas for JP McManus, Arthur Moore and Donagh Meyler.
Not a single faller in the Grand National has to be seen as a major triumph for those involved in tweaking with the great race to make it palatable for a modern audience.
It is now little more than a distant relation to the race I was weaned on, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. The Grand National has always been the primary shop window for the sport and nowadays that requires a sanitised version where dead horses are simply unacceptable.
My Racing StorySponsored By Tote
I'm from Monasterevin, Co Kildare and I'm riding since I could walk really. My grandad used to have a few of his own horses. None of my family would really be into racing, but I got into riding ponies. Then, when I was about 11 or 12, I started pony racing which is a great place to start. It gives you loads of experience of race riding and gets your brain set up for the track. My cousin Aidan Melia supplied me with more than 20 winners pony racing. He was very good to me and got me going. I was all over the country pony racing up to Donegal and down to Kerry and sometimes over to Scotland as well. When I was about 11, I was in with trainer Seamus Fahey and he was very good to me. He got me going riding racehorses and gave me loads of experience riding work. I was always small when I was young and everyone used to tell me I should be a jockey. Thank God I stayed that way and my weight is good. I wouldn't wake up more than eight stone every morning. Hopefully, things stay like that.
2024 Grand National leaves horse racing fans divided
The Grand National has changed. Not everyone is happy.
By Mark Nunan - Paul Townend rode COILLTE ARIS for the first time in a 2m handicap at this venue earlier in the month and takes the mount again. Fitted with a tongue-tie for the first time on that occasion, the Soldier Of Fortune mare kept on steadily to take fourth spot in a big field and stepping up in trip should be to her advantage. That was her first run since January so she’s entitled to improve for the outing. Shana Cloon has been most consistent in similar contests without managing to get her head in front. Beaten less than a length at Cork last time, she continues to edge up in the ratings but looks likely to go close again. The Big Cloud made the breakthrough over 2m at Limerick last week and turns out again quickly under a mandatory penalty. She has placed form over this trip and has to enter calculations. %0A
