The Japan Times - Five potential Grand National fairytale endings

Down the years there has been Rachael Blackmore becoming the first woman to ride the winner, Minella Times, in 2021, and Bob Champion riding Aldaniti to victory in 1981 after recovering from cancer.

Such is the National's appeal -- first run in 1839 and won appropriately given the unpredictability of the race by Lottery -- an estimated 600 million will watch around the world.

AFP Sport picks out five horses from the 34 runners that could provide the fairytale ending to the 30-fence marathon and pick up the £500,000 ($650,000) winners cheque (horse, country trained in):

Hewick (IRL)

Trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon's stable star has bite as he showed in winning the 2023 King George VI Chase.

Bought for just 800 euros ($865) a win for him would restore some of the lustre to Hanlon's reputation after he served a ban this season for "gross negligence" in the removal of a dead horse from his yard.

Hewick warmed up for the National with a victory in a hurdles race at Thurles, but Hanlon -- whose nickname comes from his days playing hurling -- says he is in prime form to take the first prize and have a knock on effect on his stables.

"It was a tough time, but the public kept me going," said Hanlon after the win at Thurles.

"We are back to half the numbers we had, but if we win the National we'll fill it back up!"

Hewick was rewarded with a visit to his local pub -- where he drank a pint of Guinness -- when he won the 2022 US National, a Black Velvet (Guinness and champagne) surely on the cards if he wins on Saturday.

Nick Rockett (IRL)

One of six runners for two-time winning trainer Willie Mullins, including last year's winner I Am Maximus, if it wins there won't be a dry eye on the racecourse.

It is the last horse that Sadie, the Irish wife of owner Stewart Andrew, watched win five days before she died in 2022.

"Out of such sadness, such joy has been born," said Andrew.

Andrew was in floods of tears when Nick Rockett won The Thyestes Chase in late January at Sadie's former local track, Gowran Park in County Carlow.

"It's such an inner feeling of consolement to me because it's what she always wanted," said Andrew.

Hyland (ENG)

English training great Nicky Henderson has won all the great races but 43 runners in the National have yielded just two runners-up in Zongalero (1979) and The Tsarevich (1987).

The 74-year-old Old Etonian -- who speaks with an endearing west country burr -- runs talented grey Hyland and the outsider Chantry Bay.

There might be a good omen in the birthdate of one of the members of the Ten From Seven syndicate that own Hyland.

"I was born on the same day as Red Rum (the three time winner), so if that's not an omen I don't know what is and it's been in the blood ever since a young age," said Paul Humphreys.

Hyland would be a rare grey to win -- only three have won it before, Neptune Collonges, whose trainer Paul Nicholls has a grey in this year's edition Kandoo Kid, in 2012 the last to do so.

Minella Indo (IRL)

The 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup champion is the last one still running of trainer Henry de Bromhead's remarkable quartet of winners inside a month that year.

Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Grand National victors Honeysuckle, Put The Kettle On and Minella Times are lolling around in well deserved retirement.

The understated 52-year-old Irishman has had a quieter season this term but Minella Indo, a fine third in the National last year, has had him purring saying he has been showing "lots of spark".

Perceval Legallois (IRL)

Progressive type who won a prestigious race at Leopardstown last Christmas and represents this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winning team of trainer Gavin Cromwell and owner JP McManus.

He has not run since which is of no concern for his trainer.

"He goes well fresh, so that is definitely a positive," said Cromwell.

Poker-ace McManus -- who could become the most successful owner in National history with four winners -- opted not to run Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin, but has other runners with different trainers.

Cromwell dominates the betting market -- Mullins and Gordon Elliott for once playing second fiddle in that battle -- with three of the top fancies, Vanillier runner-up two years ago and Cheltenham Cross Country Chase winner Stumptown.

M.Ito--JT