By Geoff Webster

St Johnstone chairman Brown not only owns but has bred Silver By Nature

With the worst of the winter, hopefully, past and thoughts turning to spring, it's a time of year when many involved in horse racing can dare to dream.

The Cheltenham Festival is just days away, the Scottish Grand National at Ayr takes place next month and the start of the new flat season on turf is looming.

There is the other Grand National, of course - the "big" one at Aintree, the world's best-known race. The one that is forever synonymous with Red Rum, who won it three times and who also finished second twice.

In 1979, a horse trained in Scotland won it. Rubstic was trained by John Leadbetteer in Denholm in the Borders. The history books show that it was the last time we had a Scottish-trained winner.

But, whisper it gently, could that be about to change? Silver By Nature - remember the name, because the nine-year-old grey is heading to Aintree with hopes high that he can re-write those record books.

Ever since he won the Grand National Trial at Haydock last month in the mud by an impressive 15 lengths, many experts have said he has the look of an Aintree winner.

Silver By Nature is owned by Geoff Brown, the chairman of Scottish Premier League football club, St Johnstone. Not only owned by but bred by Geoff. And he's had a tough job convincing his wife that they should risk their horse over the world's most demanding fences in what can turn into a gruelling marathon.

But trainer Lucinda Russell - based at Milnathort in Kinross - has now been given the green light to prepare "Silver" for Aintree.

"As long as the ground is OK, he'll be running in the National," says Russell. "Ideally, we want soft ground.

"I trust Aintree that they'll produce good, safe ground and that is the most important thing to us.

"The National itself has changed so much in the past five to 10 years. It's a staying chase for which they produce safer ground and the fences are a hell of a lot safer."

The bookmakers certainly think "Silver" can win and have marked him up at around 14/1 and among the favourites.

Lucinda's partner is the former champion jump jockey, Peter Scudamore, who helped trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies prepare two Aintree Grand National winners - Bindaree and Earth Summit.

In his newspaper column, Scudamore wrote: "I've no doubts that Silver By Nature, runner-up in the 2009 Welsh National, could match them both for class.

"Away from the genuine Gold Cup horses, I believe he's one of the best staying chasers in Britain."

It'll be a nervy and apprehensive time between now and Saturday, 9 April for all concerned with "Silver" as they do their best to get him to Aintree in the best possible shape and condition.

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