Rachael Blackmore Grand National Day Preview: Minella Indo is in great form

• Hoping for another really big run from Minella Indo in the big one

• Koktail Divin is fresh and will have conditions to suit

• Well-bred Scope To Improve is in good form at home

• Read Katie Midwinter's runner-by-runner guide to the National

• Read Dan Fitch's Unmissable Guide to the Grand National

• Get a completely free bet on any racing multi across Aintree

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Last season's Stayers' Hurdle winner, and runner-up in the same race this year, Teahupoo, is the favourite to win the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at 15:05 Aintree today having never finished out of the top two in his last five starts.

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Rachael on Minella Indo in the Grand National at 16:00

Minella Indo is in great form and retains lots of ability

I'm really looking forward to riding Minella Indo in the Grand National again.  He's such a brilliant horse, he's such a joy to have anything to do with, and he's in great form.

He gave me a brilliant spin in the race last year.  He really took to the place, he jumped the fences well and we hit the front on the run-in.  In the end, we couldn't contain I Am Maximus, but it was a massive run by Indo.

It's a top-class race.  I Am Maximus is a big player again, even though he is 8lb higher than he was last year.  Intense Raffles is last year's Irish National winner, Stumptown won the Cross-Country Chase at Cheltenham last month, Nick Rockett won the Bobbyjo Chase, Perceval Legallois won the Paddy Power Chase.  Also, Iroko is a young horse on the up, Minella Cocooner won the Bet365 Gold Cup last year, Grangeclare West finished second to Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.  There are so many horses with chances, and it should be a brilliant race.  It always is.

Minella Indo has only run twice since last year's Grand National, but Henry is training him so that he will reach his peak again on Grand National day.  He's 12-years-old now, but I rode him work there the other day, and he didn't work like a 12-year-old.  He's a Gold Cup winner and he retains lots of his ability and all of his enthusiasm, and I'm hoping for a really big run from him again.

Rachael on her two other Aintree rides

13:55 Mersey Novices' Hurdle - Koktail Divin

I'm looking forward too to riding Koktail Divin in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle.

He's a really nice horse.  He ran well to finish second in a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas on his first run for Henry, and he was very good last time back at Leopardstown in early March in winning his maiden hurdle.

He skipped Cheltenham after that, so he goes to Aintree a fresh horse.  He came out of the Leopardstown race really well.  The track and the ground and the trip should suit him well, he's a lovely horse and we're hoping for a big run from him.

17:35 National Hunt Flat Race - Scope To Improve

I ride Scope To Improve in the Grade 2 bumper.  

He was an impressive winner of his point-to-point in Necarne last May for Patrick Turley, and the horse that he beat into second place won his point-to-point next time.  

He won his bumper on his first run for Henry in Naas in December.  He did it well that day too, he was held up early on and he stayed on really strongly up the hill to the line.  He's a really nicely bred horse as well, his dam is closely related to Monalee and to Monty's Star.  He goes into the race in really good form, and I'm looking forward to riding him.

Timeform Verdict - Scope To Improve has plenty of potential

17:35 National Hunt Flat Race - Scope To Improve

Scope To Improve was an easy winner on his only start in points and he also created a good impression when scoring on his bumper debut at Naas before Christmas. Scope To Improve, the 100/30 favourite, was ridden patiently by John Gleeson but made smooth headway early in the straight and, after being produced to lead over a furlong out, kept on in good style to win by three and a quarter lengths.

There are others in here who have achieved more on form so far, but Scope To Improve has plenty of potential so is a fascinating runner for Henry de Bromhead who enjoyed Grade 1 success with the dam's close relation Monalee. The pick on form is Champion Bumper fifth El Cairos, while Mossy Fen Road, an easy winner of his bumper debut, has earned the vote from Timeform's analyst.

Now read Kevin Blake's 1-2-3-4 on the Aintree Grand National