Foot issue scuppers Mr Vango’s National Trial plan

Sara Bradstock has admitted her Grand National dream with Mr Vango looks unlikely after a bruised foot ruled out a planned run at Haydock on Saturday.

The nine-year-old was the 5-1 market leader with Paddy Power for the Oddschecker Grand National Trial Handicap Chase on Merseyside this weekend, but the son of Ocovango will not be lining up in the extended three-and-a-half mile contest due to the minor setback.

Mr Vango has been in brilliant form over the winter, winning the London National Handicap Chase on his seasonal reappearance at Sandown in December before supporting that success with a three-length triumph in the Peter Marsh at Haydock last month.

Bradstock is now hoping the elements will help in her bid to have a runner in the Aintree showpiece on April 5, but she admits her charge will have to get “lucky”.

While the Old Manor Stables handler waits to see whether Mr Vango can squeeze into the Grand National field, she believes the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on March 15 could be an alternative should he not look like making it into the 34-runner line-up.

“He’s not running on Saturday. He’s got a slightly bruised foot,” Bradstock said. “Nothing to be worried about, but he won’t be running on Saturday.

“This will be transient, it will be fine, but it just means he won’t be spot on for Saturday.

“Basically, the dream is that we have a very wet spring and nobody wants to run in the National and we get in on soft to heavy ground, but we won’t get in unless he’s lucky.

“We wouldn’t run him on good ground, so what I’m hoping for is if there is very soft ground and a bit come out, then we’ll get in.

“It’s hard to understand why he hasn’t gone up more in the handicap – one’s not used to complaining about that – but he’s won two big Premier chases and he’s still not as high in the handicap as horses who haven’t won for years.

“Now with it (Grand National) being 34 (runners), it’s very limited. So I think most likely is probably the Midlands National.

“The dream is that we get the rain and that we can get into the National, I think he is a real National horse, but it would have to be soft ground.”