ALVARADO, a staying-on fourth in the Crabbies Grand National last season, bids for Aintree glory again in the £1m race on Saturday, writes Danny Hall.

The chestnut with the distinctive white blaze, has been prepared specially for the race by his Fossebridge-based trainer Fergal O’Brien.

In his long spell as head lad to Nigel Twiston-Davies at Naunton, Fergal was a key player in the training of two National heroes, Earth Summit (1998) and Bindaree (2002).

Last season Alvarado had three prep races but had not run since January and his trainer felt he may have been too fresh at Aintree which caused him to fight his jockey in the early stages and drop well off the pace.

This time around O’Brien has sent Alvarado to the races just once, in a veterans’ handicap chase at Doncaster in the middle of January when he did everything asked of him by connections in finishing fifth. But O’Brien took the precaution of giving his charge a strong racecourse gallop on an away day to Newbury recently.

O’Brien said: “He worked over a mile and six furlongs with a stable-mate and went really well. Fingers crossed for Aintree – we’re very happy with him.”

Alvarado will certainly not lack for expertise in the saddle – his jockey Paul Moloney has finished in the first four in the last six runnings including on this horse last year.

Tony McCoy rides big-race favourite Shutthefrontdoor, trained in Gloucestershire by Jonjo O'Neill for his final National ride. Shutthefrontdoor won the Irish version last season.

Monbeg Dude, owned by a partnership which includes former Gloucester rugby stars Mike Tindall and James Simpson-Daniel, who now works full time for a bookmaking firm.

Monbeg Dude, trained in Herefordshire by Michael Scudamore, was seventh at Aintree last year behind the winner Pineau De Re who takes his chance once more.

Other local hopes to look out for include The Rainbow Hunter trained at Andoversford by Kim Bailey who won the race with Mr Frisk, and Saint Are, a winner last time out winner for Slad trainer Tom George.

Stow's David Bridgwater runs Wyck Hill, while Naunton-based jockey Sam Twiston-Davies rides one of the favourite Rocky Creek for trainer Paul Nicholls.

The pick of the Wiltshire runners is surely the Neil Mulholland-trained The Druids Nephew, who heads to Aintree off the back of a win in a valuable handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival.