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Scudamore says Temps is the one they all have to beat

| 08.04.2016
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

Starchitect is stepping up in trip and I feel like he’ll get it. He ran a great race in the County finishing fifth, staying on well at the end and I’m very hopeful of another big run here. He runs well in these big competitive handicap hurdles and I don’t see why won’t run another big race.

You always have to hope that they’ve overcome Cheltenham, but that was only Starchitect’s second run of the season so he’ll come here fresher than most which is a big plus.

Un Temps Pour Tout ran a great race at Cheltenham and is the best novice chaser in training and I hope he’ll go and prove that again tomorrow. It does depend on how he comes out of Cheltenham. He wouldn’t be a horse with the strongest constitution. However on official ratings he’s the horse that they all have to beat. He was third at Aintree last year over hurdles behind Cole Harden and Whisper. He ran about the same level of form as he had at Cheltenham, so that gives encouragement to him running his race tomorrow. All tracks come the same to him and he’s a very good horse. On all known form he’s the one they all have to beat.

In the Topham David runs La Vaticane. She won at Wincanton last time. Up until then she’d been quite frustrating. She’d threatened to win some nice races but it was a good performance by her last time out. I see no reason why she can’t run a big race, but it is a mighty competitive contest.

It’s phenomenal that Leighton Aspell is bidding for a third consecutive Grand National on Saturday. He’s always been well respected by all the other jockeys and was one of the unsung members of the weighing room until he went and won two Grand Nationals of course. He’s a good rider but hadn’t got the credit that he deserved over the years. That’s the great thing about the Grand National. It’s never the obvious jockeys and trainers that win it. Jonjo O’Neill could never get round. My dad never won a Grand National, never even came close. John Francome never won it. Then someone like Ryan Mania won it. Ginger McCain became an Aintree legend with Red Rum.
Back in the 1960s a jockey called Tim Norman won the Grand National with his third winner of the season. That’s the magic of the Grand National.

In terms of the approach to the race, I just focus on the first few fences. If you don’t get round you don’t win, so my first target is to get round the first circuit. Then take it from there. It’s no negative, it’s just sensible. Make sure you’re still in the race after a circuit is the first objective.

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Author

Tom Scudamore

Tom Scudamore is a third-generation British flat and steeplechase jockey. He is the son of eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore; his grandfather Michael won the Grand National on Oxo in 1959. Tom provides Coral with all the latest insight and thoughts on his next rides.