Irish Champion Trainer Willie Mullins is eyeing his second success in the world’s most famous steeplechase, the Grand National, next month with his chaser Total Recall, who has had a brilliant campaign in the UK and Ireland so far in the 2017/18 National Hunt season.

Mullins last won the Aintree feature in 2005 when Hedgehunter made the trip across the Irish Sea to land a gamble, as he went off as the 7/1 favourite in the 4m4f contest. He is also set to be the ride of Ruby Walsh who is seeking a hat-trick of wins this year, as he also rode Papillon to victory in 2000 for his Dad, Ted.

Strong confidence is expected to be behind Total Recall as he has already been cut into 10/1 from 16/1 for the 2018 contest over the last couple of weeks, with more money expected to be piled in on the nine-year-old in the days before the race. Not the favourite for the race the free bets Grand National promotions and offers which are available on the race, such as Betfair's bet £20 get £20 deal, provide a safer gamble on Willie Mullins' charge.

Total Recall switched stables last summer to join Mullins’ yard and he made his first start for the Irishman in the Munster National at Limerick. He led after the penultimate fence before going clear of his rivals to score by seven lengths in an impressive opening run for his new trainer, when going off at 2/1 in the betting.
Mullins opted to step his chaser up in class and make the trip across to Newbury for the Ladbrokes Trophy in November. His confidence behind his horse paid off as he landed the £150,000 contest by a neck ahead of Whisper, who was second in the RSA Chase earlier this year.

With the horse now meriting a strong handicap mark for the Grand National, Total Recall had an outing over hurdles in February where he was equally as impressive, scoring at Leopardstown in a Grade B contest. That acted as a preparation run for the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Festival earlier this month, where a mistake at the third fence from home when travelling well ended his chances in the blue riband event of the meeting.

Mullins will not be too disheartened by his horse’s Gold Cup run. The first two home , Native River and Might Bite, set a strong pace but Total Recall was able to handle it before his error, which is a good sign for the stamina test that the Grand National presents.

Blacklion Heads The Challenge Against Total Recall
Blacklion is the shortest price of all the British horses entered in the Grand National this year and connections will be hoping it is second time lucky for their chaser, as he was fourth in the race in 2017.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ runner has an excellent record over the Grand National fences. He won the Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree back in December and he is likely to excel again when he comes across the bigger obstacles next month.

In his recent run at Haydock in the Grand National Trial, he was asked to carry top weight on heavy ground at the Lancashire track. He had to settle for second place on that occasion behind Yala Enki, however, he did his claims no harm for the big race next month, in what will be the 171st edition of the prestigious steeplechase in the UK.