Grand National 2022: Trainer Emma Lavelle counting on De Rasher

Trainer Emma Lavelle believes De Rasher Counter has a big chance of victory in the Randox Grand National – if he takes to the fences at Aintree Racecourse.

The 10-year-old was out with a tendon injury for 489 days but made his return to action when fourth in the Grade Two Denman Chase at Newbury in February. That effort delighted his connections and he is now ready to head to Aintree for a crack at the Grand National, for which he is best-priced 66-1 with William Hill and Coral behind current 9-1 favourite Any Second Now.

De Rasher Counter is back down to the same handicap mark off which he won the Ladbrokes Trophy in 2019 at Newbury in fine style.

And Lavelle believes if he is back to that sort of form he will run a big race in the world’s greatest steeplechase this Saturday.

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She said: “He’s great, absolutely super. He’s had a great prep and he’s been away and had a nice gallop and we’ve schooled away from home with him so we couldn’t be happier.

“He had a tendon injury and the funny thing is the National has always been a race that we thought would suit him and it meant we could give him lots of time to get over the tendon injury and we did a lot of roadwork at the start of the year.

“Adam Wedge had him up and down hills at home in Wales and then he came back to us – the Denman Chase was the perfect prep run for him and that fitted the qualifications. That got him back and gave us a lovely amount of time afterwards to hopefully get him spot on for Aintree.

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“It was beautiful ground at Newbury and it was our Gold Cup horses having a run against each other. De Rasher Counter travelled with them and jumped