grand national 2011 /

By Dylan Jenear ValueChecker

Red Rum Stable Has Another Contender in Ballabriggs
01/02/11

Donald McCain is back in the John Smiths Grand National News after the Trevor Hemmings owned Ballabriggs justified favouritism to win the victorchandler.com National Hunt Novices' Hurdle at Ayr on Monday.

Ballabriggs
© racing-images.co.uk

A hurdling preparation has become very much a viable alternative to slogging round staying chase circuits in recent years and the easy 5-length success will have done last year’s Kim Muir winner no harm at all.

Michael Meagher, racing manager to owner Trevor Hemmings, told : "We'll probably go to the Grimthorpe or a race at Kelso on the same day. He'll have an entry in both and then the National. Trevor loves the National and when you win it once you just do your best to win it again. The question mark over Ballabriggs is whether he'll stay the National trip, and you won't find out until the day. Touch wood he's always been a good jumper and loves good ground so they are positives. You have to travel in your races to win a Kim Muir and travel to win a National and he does as we saw here today."

Sky Bet are offering 20/1 about Ballabriggs and he could well be shorter on the day.