David Pipe will be sending Vieux Lion Rouge and Ballynagour to Aintree next month as they both look to land the Grand National title on their second attempt.
Fourteen years after his father, Martin won his one and only Grand National title, David Pipe cheered along with the crowd as Comply Or Die carried the tag of favouritism into the Aintree winners enclosure when he won the 2008 Grand National.
He will be hoping his maturing chaser, Vieux Lion Rouge can follow in his former stablemates footsteps and win from the top of the market. Following Minella Rocco’s withdrawal, Pipe’s eight-year-old has made his way to the top of the ante-post betting with nearly every bookmaker and, despite his young age compared to most Grand National entrants, it’s easy to see why he is the bookies favourite.
Many expected a horse with such inexperience to crumble under the Grand National pressure, but Vieux Lion Rouge skipped nicely over the soft Aintree ground and came home a highly creditable seventh. Two narrow wins from two seasonal stats have followed since, both coming in key Grand National trials.
In partnership with Tom Scudamore, the duo timed their late charge to perfection to nose ahead of their rivals in the blanket finish at the end of the Becher Chase. They made the most of a significant weight advantage in their next outing in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, where he and fellow Aintree rival, Blaklion pulled away from the leading pack, with Vieux Lion Rouge eventually coming out on top by just over three lengths.
Sporting Life caught up with David Pipe during last week and asked him whether he thought Vieux Lion Rouge could improve on the excellent finish he recorded at the Grand National last season.
“Vieux Lion Rouge has had a good prep and he ran very well in the race last year.” Said Pipe. “He is stronger now and seems to be finishing his races better. He battled on really strongly at Haydock last time and his preparation so far has been good,”
“I don’t think the ground will be too much concern for him over the Grand National trip. He seems to like the fences and Tom Scudamore is very much looking forward to the ride.”
Pipe was also keen to talk up Ballynagour’s chances of putting on a strong display in the Grand National, despite his charge failing to finish any of his three races this season.
“Ballynagour is a hard horse to predict, but is a very good one on his day. He ran in the race last year and was just creeping into it on the second circuit when he just left his hind legs behind and unseated Tom Scu.”
On form alone, you would say Ballynagour’s chances of out-performing Vieux Lion Rouge were incredibly slim. Yet, Pipe still has plenty of faith in his experienced eleven-year-old and he fancies his charges chances if presented with his beloved good ground.
“He seems to come alive on the spring ground. Two main factors for horses in the Grand National – they have to jump well and stay well.”
