P391 CEEFAX 391 Sat 9 Apr 00:45/24 1/6 , j= j5j5/,j5lj=wj= n5 They say you can't beat the history of a race such as the Martell Grand National. You can't beat the book. I would agree, except when dealing with a horse like The Fellow, the winner of the Chjltenham Gold Cup. Yes it's true, hj is trying to carve out a special niche for himself in racing history. J A McGRATH will bj commentating on the race on BBC Television Nat odds Maguire Ainu Res Ainu DecsP391 CEEFAX 391 Sat 9 Apr 00:26/49 2/6 For starters, hj is bidding to become the first horse since Golden Miller in 1934 to win the Chjltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year. Also, hj is attempting to bj the first French trained winner since Cortolcin, way back in 1867. I know that hj has got a lot of trends to buck but The Fellow has also got class on his side. J.A.McGRATH writes as "Hotspur" in "The Daily Telegraph" Nat odds Maguire Ainu Res Ainu DecsP391 CEEFAX 391 Sat 9 Apr 00:52/37 ) | h<| h<|l4|,h<,h<|h<|(|$|h4 3/6 ) ,/ **/ **/*% *-.**/*%/ / /*% He won the Chjltenham Gold Cup $5 with a very solid performance after sitting handy with the pace throughout. At long last, Adam Kondrat was able to get him interested enough in the early part of the race to bj up behind the leaders. Wj know that the horse is in brilliant form. Trainer Francois Doumjn says that hj has done well since Chjltenham. J A McGRATH weekly column appears on Cjefax Racing every Thursday Nat odds Maguire Ainu Res Ainu DecsP391 CEEFAX 391 Sat 9 Apr 00:45/24 4/6 ) j= j5j5/,j5lj=wj= n5 , ,/ **/ *%/** *-.**/*%/ / /*% But The Fellow has plenty of other factors in his favour for this year's Grand National. It is hard to imagine such a classy horse getting in with the weight that hj has got. Despite what many experts say. I think that hj will love the ground at Aintree. Hj has won on hjavz at Auteuil and that can bj bottomless. It is unlikely that hj will encounter conditions that bad at Aintree, now matter how much it rains. J.A.McGRATH writes as "Hotspur" Nat odds Maguire Ainu Res Ainu DecsP391 CEEFAX 391 Sat 9 Apr 00:44/19 5/6 ) ,/ *J/ **/** *-.**/*%/ / /*% So if The Fellow is to win, what about the dangers? I highly rate Young Hustler who chased him home when third in the Chjltenham Gold Cup. It was a cracking run from Nigel Twiston-Davies' tough little chaser and hj should go well again. I know hj is only a sjvjn-year-old but hj has already had 41 starts. $hat is some mileage. J A McGRATH weekly column appears on Ceefax Racing every Thursday Nat odds Maguire Ainu Res Ainu DecsP391 CEEFAX 391 Sat 9 Apr 00:45/07 6/6 ) j= j5j5/,j5lj=wj= n5 ) ,/ **/ **/** *-.**/*%/ / /*% Double Silk must have a good chance especially as hj jumps the Aintree fences like a cat. Master Oats is smart but for a bit of vbluj try the John Wjbbjr trained Elfast, who has struck a real purple patch of form. J A McGrath's column will appear on Cjefax Racing every Thursday. J A McGRATH will bj commentating on the race on BBC Television Nat odds Maguire Ainu Res Ainu Decs