The home-bred Simon is the apple of owner and former trainer Mercy Rimell’s eye, being out of a winning half-sister to the 1983 Champion Hurdle winner Gaye Brief, who was trained by Rimell herself. Following a successful novice chase campaign last season, he has stamped himself as a leading staying handicap chaser this term with victory in the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton on February 24. Rimell initially sent Simon to Ireland where he was placed under the care of trainer Philip Fenton. The combination worked well as Simon won his only start in a point-to-point at Ballysteen on April 25, 2004. The then five-year-old made a winning debut under Rules on soft to yielding ground in a two-mile novice hurdle at Wexford on November 12, 2004. Pitched into Grade Three company and upped to three miles on his second start at Cork, he went down by four lengths to the classy Homer Wells. Simon failed to win in five subsequent starts that term but proved to be game and consistent, only once finishing out of the frame at distances from two miles to two and three quarter miles. Simon returned home and joined the Kinnersley yard of John Spearing, where the Rimells previously trained, for the start of the 2005/2006 season. A disappointing start to his chasing career saw him finish a remote fourth behind Mount Clerigo at Uttoxeter in November. He improved to finish 13 lengths third, conceding 12lb to the winner Nadover in an extended two and a half-mile contest at Bangor in December, but again disappointed in taking fourth at Huntingdon later that month. Simon was fortunate to break his chase duck at Wincanton on January 21, 2006. Outpaced in the two miles, five furlongs contest, he benefited from Nayodabayo’s last fence fall to take the spoils. A heavy ground Haydock handicap was the setting for a creditable second on February 23, and he rounded off the campaign in fine style with two victories. Stepped up to three miles on heavy going at Uttoxeter on March 18, and in receipt of 13lb from Mount Clerigo, he gained revenge on that rival with a three-length success. An extended three miles and soft going at Bangor on April 22, brought a further success. Simon appeared a touch ring rusty on his seasonal return at Bangor on November 8, as he made a jumping error and came home fifth behind Bob Bob Bobbin. A good second to Tana River in the extended three miles, five furlongs williamhill.co.uk Marathon Chase at Sandown on December 2, saw him sent off the 11/2 favourite for the Coral Welsh National over the same trip at Chepstow on December 27. He paid the price for racing a touch too keenly under Andrew Thornton and crossed the line sixth of the 12 finishers behind Halcon Genelardais. An improved effort at Southwell on January 27 brought success in the Listed Sky Bet Chase over an extended three miles, as he drew nine lengths clear of the pursuing Ardaghey. The Racing Post Chase was Simon’s biggest test and he continued his upward curve with a 10-length defeat of Cornish Sett, despite being hampered three out and then hitting the running rail as he charged to the line.

Race Record: Jumps Starts: 19; Wins: 6: 2nd: 5; 3rd: 2; Win and Place Prize Money: £149,898

Mercy Rimell
Mercy Rimell, 87, has been one of the most famous figures on the National Hunt scene for over half a century. She has spent her entire life around horses and was an international junior rider when only seven, before competing for England in France aged 10. She rode her first point-to-point winner four years later. Mercy married the four-time champion jump jockey Fred Rimell at the age of 17 in 1937 and, when Fred turned his hand to training in 1945, played a key role in the success of their Kinnersley yard, which enjoyed four Grand National successes (1956 ESB, 1961 Nicolaus Silver, 1970 Gay Trip, 1976 Rag Trade). The yard also sent out two Gold Cup winners (1967 Woodland Venture and 1976 Royal Frolic) as well as a dual champion hurdler in Comedy Of Errors (1973 & 1975). Following Fred’s death, Mercy took over the training licence in July, 1981, and continued the yard’s success. Her first winner came with Tru Mar at Worcester on August 8, 1981, and she saddled 232 winners in all. Up to her retirement in 1989, she continued to enjoy success at the highest level, most notably with 1983 Champion Hurdle winner Gaye Brief. That gelding’s full-brother Gaye Chance landed the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle and the Stayers Hurdle (now the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle and Ladbrokes World Hurdle, respectively) at the Cheltenham Festival. She also trained Three Counties, ridden by her granddaughter Katie, to win the 1989 Christies Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham. Her grandson Mark Rimell is now a trainer. Mercy, who also bred Simon, saddled Gala’s Image to finish seventh behind Seagram in the 1989 John Smith’s Grand National while Pilot Officer was still well in contention when departing at the Chair in 1983. Simon is her first runner in the race as an owner.

John Smith’s Grand National Record: No previous runners

John Spearing
John Lionel Spearing, 66, was born into a farming family in Moreton-In-Marsh, on May 7, 1940. He spent his early years around horses and rode in point-to-points and under Rules as an amateur, numbering a hunter chase at Cheltenham among his handful of victories. He turned to training in 1971 when the owner of a mare he had ridden asked him if he would be interested in training her. Glendale, the horse in question, won nine times for the accidental trainer, who was initially based at Kineton, Warwickshire. As his one-horse string expanded, he moved to a bigger yard at Sherriff’s Lynch, and further successes took him to Moor Hall Stables at Wixford, near Alcester, Warwickshire, where he established himself from 1975. Spearing trains under both codes, but his biggest successes to date have come over jumps. Run And Skip was the star of the yard in the 1980s, capturing a host of races including the Coral Welsh National in 1985, while this season, Simon captured the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton. His Flat successes include Vax Lady in the Listed Pearl Sprint Stakes at Phoenix Park in 1990, while in April of that year he sent out Lucedeo to win four races in eight days. Spearing also expertly handled Beverley specialist Rapid Lad to collect 12 victories at the East Yorkshire track. Since February, 1998, he has been based at the historic Kinnersley Stables in Worcestershire, made famous by Fred and Mercy Rimell.

John Smith’s Grand National record: 1985 Solihull Sport (Fell 1st); 1991 Run And Skip (Fell 2nd)

Simon Heads Spearing National Assault 04/04/07
John Spearing is pleased with the progress of stable star Simon ahead of a tilt at the £700,000 Grade Three John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday, April 14. [more]