GRAND NATIONAL BREAKFAST: Caldwell Potter blow for Sir Alex Ferguson as record-buy suffers foot injury, jockey stars visit Alder Hey… and the millionaire who BOUGHT a horse to ride in the historic race

Britain’s most watched horse race takes place on the final day of the Grand National Festival in Aintree.

Trainer Lucinda Russell and partner Peter Scudamore are sticking to the winning formula as Corach Rambler chases back-to-back Grand National victories.

Work routines are a copy of what worked so well twelve months ago.

If he wins, Corach Rambler, trained at Lucinda Russell’s Arlary House Stables, will be only the second consecutive winner of the world’s tallest spire since Red Rum in 1974.

Here, Mail Sport serves up a dose of Grand National Breakfast, taking a look at everything happening on and off the iconic racecourse.

Bad luck for record breaker Caldwell Potter

Sir Alex Ferguson knows better than anyone how an unexpected injury can impact a title race and will therefore have every sympathy for Paul Nicholls.

The reigning Champion Trainer had set out to launch the British career of Caldwell Potter – the horse Ferguson and three friends bought for a record-breaking £634,000 in February – in the Mersey Novices Hurdle, and all was going well with his preparations.

Nicholls is in a battle with Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins where every penny counts and Caldwell Potter is expected to come very close to the first prize of £56,270. Imagine his disappointment when he discovered last night that a foot infection would rule him out.

Caldwell Potter will make a full recovery soon enough, but Ferguson, John Hales, Ged Mason and Peter Done will have to bide their time before seeing him running – and time is not something Nicholls has on his side as the pressure is on from everyone. corners.

Jockeys visit Alder Hey

Aintree’s bond with Alder Hey, the renowned children’s hospital, is unbreakable – the course provided 110 tickets to the hospital’s staff to mark its 110th year – and a highlight for the jockeys competing in the Grand National is the opportunity to take part to participate in the annual trip to the facility.

Rachael Blackmore, Sean Bowen, Sam Twiston-Davies and Nico De Boinville were among a huge crew who arrived at Alder Hey on Friday morning and took hours to talk to patients and families. It is, as Twiston-Davies acknowledged, a privilege for them to be asked to visit.

What makes this partnership so sustainable is that the Alder Hey name is always visible, a reminder of the fantastic service it provides to young people in the region. Their race on Friday, the final conditional jockey hurdle, was won by 40/1 outsider El Jefe.

High rollers fly in

Did you know that, among the beautiful circuit facilities, Aintree has its own helipad? Down by the fifth fence, a fairway on the golf course that dominates the infield has been turned into a temporary take-off and landing pad for the high-rollers who fly there every day.

‘Temporary’ suggests that the facility is primitive, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is equipped with a luxurious waiting room, a radar control area and there is a road for chauffeur service to transport guests to their desired destination with minimum hassle and maximum discretion.

Security battle for JP McManus

Safety comes first at Aintree and checks are made at all times to ensure that you have the right badge for the right housing. Those charged with carrying out audits take their responsibilities seriously – as JP McManus discovered.

Having just seen Jonbon put his head down and run all the way to the line in the Melling Chase, McManus had returned to the winner’s enclosure with trainer Nicky Henderson to greet his successful mount.

However, just because he was perhaps the most famous man on the course was no guarantee that he would get through the necessary gate in the first place if he didn’t have his badge with him to show to a security lady. A smile, a quiet word and a chuckle later and the problem was solved.

Jamie Neild’s Aintree dream came true

Most young boys on Merseyside grow up dreaming of scoring a winning goal at Goodison Park or Anfield, and Jamie Neild was no different: a seasoned Evertonian, he was on Liverpool’s books as a youngster and played football to a decent level. level.

However, Neild still had a dream and today it will become a reality as he gets an edge over Josh The Boss – owned by his father, John – in the Grade One Mersey Novices Hurdle. A local boy being in the middle of the action on National Day is a rare occurrence and boy will he enjoy it.

In November, Neild and Josh The Boss livened up a mundane Aintree card by winning the course and distance of Saturday’s race, sparking wild celebrations. You can’t imagine what it would be like if the couple caused a huge shock, but they will do their best.

What makes this so special is that Neild is purely an amateur jockey and got into horse racing purely to try and ride a winner at Aintree. He is realistic about Josh The Boss’ prospects against some excellent Irish horses, but stranger things have happened.

Maxwell makes the purchase of a lifetime

This best highlights racing’s unique place in the sporting landscape: where else could someone make a late purchase to secure a place in the event? For example, you can’t just buy an expensive set of golf clubs with the intention of playing a round at Augusta.

With that in mind, see how Ain’t That A Shame does in the big race. The gelding was trained by Henry de Bromhead 12 months ago and became a favorite with Rachael Blackmore and owner Brian Acheson, but never became competitive.

Ain’t That A Shame won the historic Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park ahead of that trio in January but has subsequently been sold to Corinthian amateur David Maxwell, who is 45, specifically to race in the National. It becomes the thrill of a project developer’s life.