John Smith's Grand National, Aintree, Saturday, 1615 BST
Coverage BBC One/BBC HD/BBC Radio 5 live/online, with other races also across the BBC 8-10 April. Highlights: 0030, BBC Two
 McCoy is hoping to make it 15th time lucky over the National jumps |
Champion jockey Tony McCoy has opted to ride Don't Push It as he aims to win his first Grand National at Aintree. McCoy, 35, was deliberating between Don't Push it and another Jonjo O'Neill-trained horse, Can't Buy Time. His best result in 14 rides in the National is three third places, while in 2005 he was obstructed by a loose horse when well-placed on Clan Royal. Don't Push It won with McCoy on board in the John Smith Handicap Chase at last year's Grand National meeting. Both Don't Push It and Can't Buy Time, who provides a first National ride for Richie McLernon, are trained in Gloucestershire by O'Neill and owned by millionaire JP McManus. Like McCoy - who is known in racing by his initials AP (Anthony Peter) - the trainer and owner have yet to win the Grand National.  | 606: DEBATE |
Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: "We left the decision completely up to AP (McCoy). It didn't matter to us which one he wanted to ride and he's happy with Don't Push It. "It's a big day for Richie (McLernon) as it's his first ride in the race but he knows the horse well and he's won on him. He'll just need a bit of luck after that but we're hoping for the best." Bookmakers are offering around 40-1 for Don't Push It winning the big one this year. Can't Buy Time, a general 20-1 shot for the 10 April four-and-a-half miler, fell at the 18th fence under Noel Fehily in last year's race, which was won by 100-1 outside Mon Mome. McCoy said: "Can't Buy Time has won this season but did not appear to stay four miles at Cheltenham a year ago. Don't Push It was very disappointing at the Cheltenham Festival but on his run at Aintree last year he'd have a chance." Big Fella Thanks has emerged as favourite for this year's National, a position fortified by confirmation that Paul Nicholls' stable jockey Ruby Walsh will take the ride on the eight-year-old. Irishman Walsh, successful in 2000 (Papillon) and 2005 (Hedgehunter), will attempt to give Nicholls an overdue first win in the National, while the Somerset-based trainer also saddles another leading fancy, Tricky Trickster.
John Smith's Grand National entries Saturday 10 April, 1615 BST 1 01-3244 MADISON DU BERLAIS 9-11-10 (David Pipe) Tom Scudamore 2 1-P3463 MON MOME 9-11-10 (Venetia Williams) Aidan Coleman 3 211501 VIC VENTURI 10-11-06 (Dessie Hughes) Paddy Flood 4 151U-02 BLACK APALACHI 11-11-06 (Dessie Hughes) Denis O'Regan 5 5-50030 JOE LIVELY 11-11-06 (Colin Tizzard) Joe Tizzard 6 01-423P DON'T PUSH IT 10-11-05 (Jonjo O'Neill) 7 P002-00 COMPLY OR DIE 11-11-05 (David Pipe) Timmy Murphy 8 121-210 TRICKY TRICKSTER 7-11-04 (Paul Nicholls) Barry Geraghty 9 1-03520 NICHE MARKET 9-11-04 (Bob Buckler) Harry Skelton 10 2404P2 MADE IN TAIPAN 8-11-04 (Tom Mullins) Niall Madden 11 UPP/-21P DREAM ALLIANCE 9-11-03 (Philip Hobbs) Tom O'Brien 12 FU-3644 CLOUDY LANE 10-11-03 (Donald McCain) Jason Maguire 13 1P00-60 NOZIC 9-11-03 (Paul Nicholls) Liam Treadwell 14 53-2057 MY WILL 10-11-02 (Paul Nicholls) Nick Scholfield 15 3606-4F PABLO DU CHARMIL 9-11-02 (David Pipe) Danny Cook 16 P6-51110 BALLYHOLLAND 9-11-00 (Colin McBratney IRE) Andrew McNamara 17 0112313 BACKSTAGE 8-11-00 (Gordon Elliott IRE) Davy Condon 18 FP-1P1PP BEAT THE BOYS 9-11-00 (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Brian Hughes 19 100-000U0 PREISTS LEAP 10-11-00 (Tom O'Leary IRE) Philip Enright 20 1103223 SNOWY MORNING 10-10-13 (Willie Mullins IRE) Paul Townend 21 314F-016 CAN'T BUY TIME 8-10-13 (Jonjo O'Neill) 22 2U136-2U1 BIG FELLA THANKS 8-10-12 (Paul Nicholls) Ruby Walsh 23 60/144-P STATE OF PLAY 10-10-11 (Evan Williams) Paul Moloney 24 143301-00 CHARACTER BUILDING 10-10-11 (John Quinn) Nina Carberry 25 00-12100 ELLERSLIE GEORGE (IRE) 10-10-10 (Nick Mitchell) Christian Williams 26 02P5-011 ERIC'S CHARM 12-10-09 (Oliver Sherwood) Wayne Hutchinson 27 212/0-0000 KING JOHNS CASTLE 11-10-09 (Arthur Moore IRE) Paul Carberry 28 043545U CONNA CASTLE (IRE) 11-10-09 (Jimmy Mangan IRE) 29 2P-4P1540 BALLYFITZ 10-10-09 (Nigel Twiston-Davies) David England 30 F2-305467 OLLIE MAGERN 12-10-09 (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Tom Molloy 31 330-30U2 ARBOR SUPREME (IRE) 8-10-08 (Willie Mullins IRE) Paul Townend 32 02P-253 MALJIMAR (IRE) 10-10-08 (Nick Williams) Daryl Jacob 33 03-02312 THE PACKAGE 7-10-07 (David Pipe) Graham Lee 34 000-33010 PIRAYA 7-10-07 (David Pipe) Johnny Farrelly 35 U01-4U5 IRISH RAPTOR 11-10-07 (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Paddy Brennan 36 50PP/05-0 CERIUM (FR) 9-10-05 (Paul Murphy) 37 1P6-1420 PALYPSO DE CREEK 7-10-06 (Charlie Longsdon) Tom Siddall 38 11-035U00 HELLO BUD 12-10-06 (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Sam Twiston-Davies 39 P63/52-P FLINTOFF 9-10-05 (Venetia Williams) Andrew Tinkler 40 56/-33P5 ROYAL ROSA (FR) 11-10-05 (Howard Johnson)
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