Foxy Jacks has Mouse Morris dreaming of more Grand National glory

Mouse Morris has already been fortunate enough to win the Randox Grand National once with Rule The World in 2016. But that will not stop him dreaming of winning it again with Foxy Jacks.

Morris, known as a real target trainer and one of the most respected men in the game, had come close on numerous occasions before he hit the heights eight years ago.

Cahervillahow, who famously won a Whitbread Gold Cup but lost it in the stewards' room, crossed the line second in 1993 but thankfully or not for connections that was the dreaded void race 'won' by Esha Ness.

Lastofthebrownies went close twice when fourth to Little Polveir and fifth to Mr Frisk while Attitude Adjuster also finished fifth behind Rhyme ‘N’ Reason in 1988.

As changes to the race began to be made at the turn of the century, though, Morris realised the requirements needed on the equine front had also changed.

"We sent some very nice horses to Aintree back in the 1980s and 90s, horses like Attitude Adjuster and Lastofthebrownies, real old-fashioned three-mile chasers," said Morris.

"Look at Cahervillahow, now he was a really good horse but he wasn’t a Grade One horse, he was a top-class handicapper that suited races like the Whitbread and the National.

"Nowadays you have to send a different type to Aintree."

So that is what Morris did. In 2015 he ran his multiple Grade One winner First Lieutenant, who might not quite have been the force of old but was still a fine racehorse.

"First Lieutenant was one of the best I’ve had. He won a Grade One over hurdles at Cheltenham beating a Champion Hurdle winner [Rock On Ruby], was second in an RSA and was second in a Ryanair as well as winning other good races," he said.

"We ran him in it as a 10-year-old when he was just starting to