Grand National News
Carberry Can Guide the Dude to National Glory Wednesday 26th March 2014

Paul Carberry has been book by trainer Michael Scudamore to ride Monbeg Dude in the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree on April 5.

Monbeg Dude
© Racehorse Photos

Carberry, trained by his father, Tommy, was in the saddle when giving the nine-year-old a fine waiting ride as Scudamore recorded his biggest training success to date in the 2012 Coral Welsh National.

Carberry, who won the world's greatest steeplechase in 1999 on Bobbyjo, has partnered Monbeg Dude on two other occasions, most recently when the combination finished fifth in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster.

Scudamore, who was hosting the press and other media at his Ross-on-Wye yard on Wednesday morning, said: "Paul is going to ride and I'm very happy to have him.

"Someone with Paul's skill, experience and craft is not a bad man to have on board."

Trainer Michael Scudamore has based the whole season for his star chaser Monbeg Dude around winning the big one has Grand National odds of 20/1 with Coral to land the Aintree showpiece for one of the most famous families in racing.

Michael’s father Peter was champion jockey eight-times, but never won the Grand National in 12 attempts. The closest he came was when partnering Corbierre to finish third in 1985.

His brother Tom is a highly successful jockey based with David Pipe, but has also yet to triumph in the world’s greatest steeplechase.

However, his grandfather Michael rode Oxo to victory in 1959 and is officially an Aintree Legend, and in Monbeg Dude his 30-year-old grandson has a horse who looks to have the perfect profile for the race.

The key to his chances in the 4m 4f contest are if his rider can get him into a nice jumping rhythm on the first circuit to enable him to be within striking distance at the business end of affairs.

The horse, who is owned by rugby stars James Simpson-Daniel, Mike Tindall and Nicky Robinson, is prone to clouting the odd fence but his jumping this season has been far better.

That is down mainly to Tindall’s wife Zara Phillips, a leading equestrian rider, who carried out a series of schooling sessions with him which seem to have worked the oracle.

If his jumping does hold-up then he is going to be a danger to all off what looks a nice racing weight of 10st 9lb.