This weekend's Grand National will be Brooklyn Brownie's first

Brooklyn Brownie will carry North Yorkshire's hopes in this year's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

The 10-year-old, who is trained at Norton by Malcolm Jefferson, is running in his first National but had success at Aintree earlier this season.

Jefferson told BBC Radio York: "He's a very neat little horse, a neat little jumper and he's a sensible horse.

"I think that those are probably three of the most important things for the Grand National."

Jefferson added that preparation had gone well for both the horse and his jockey, Phil Kinsella.

"With racehorses it's keeping them sound, healthy and getting them fit for the race.

"We've sort of planned here and at Aintree in November, when he was second over the big fences, that he would go for the Grand National.

"He had a break from November onwards, came back in to training and we took him to Doncaster about five weeks ago for a canter around.

We all love him to bits and we hope he goes there and comes back safe and sound Trainer Malcolm Jefferson

"Then he went to Wetherby and ran and he won and that just put him how we would want him to go in to the Grand National - fit happy, fresh and well.

Jefferson added: "Phil's a good rider - he's had a winner around those fences. He's a good little jockey."

Kinsella said he is looking forward to the race: "I can't wait. We're optimistic rather than hopeful. I've ridden round the fences five times, completed three, so a little bit of experience is a big tick.

"But as long as the horse can jump around he's probably more important than me.

"Hopefully he'll be alright with all the extra crowd and the atmosphere."

Jefferson shared Kinsella's optimism but he said the horse's safety was also important.

"We all love him to bits and we hope he goes there and comes back safe and sound," he said.

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