GRAND NATIONAL PREVIEW:IT'S NOT often the word easy can be used in association with the Grand National but if Ireland's Oscar Time can win the world's most famous steeplechase at Aintree this afternoon it could be classed as being the less surprising part of a remarkable double for his English jockey.

It is just over three weeks since Sam Waley-Cohen became the first amateur rider in 30 years to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup by beating the cream of the professional ranks on Long Run.

In purists’ terms the Gold Cup is the pinnacle and Waley-Cohen’s achievement in holding his own against McCoy, Walsh and the other top professionals was a memorable example of an amateur rising to steeplechasing’s most prized challenge.

In comparison, the young Englishman is likely to be a lot less nervous going into today’s €1 million big race.

For one thing it is just 21 years since the last amateur jockey, Marcus Armytage, won over the famous fences. There is also the knowledge that it is just nine years since Jim Culloty completed the Gold Cup-National double.

But most important of all is Waley-Cohen’s proven Aintree pedigree.

He is a winner over the big fences in the Foxhunters on Katarino and did it against the professionals too on Liberthine in the Topham. He also rode Long Run’s half-sister into fifth in the 2007 National. When the 40 runners face the starter at 4.15pm today, there will be other jockeys with plenty more butterflies in their stomachs.

“It’s been an extraordinary few weeks and something to enjoy and relish,” Waley-Cohen said yesterday. “Coming into a race like this, you just want to enjoy it, especially when you are on a horse that you believe in. To me you want an ultra-consistent horse. You also want a horse that can travel and jump with enthusiasm in a big field. Oscar Time has all the right attributes to be a National horse. And most of all he has a whole load of courage.”

Martin Lynch knows all about the Aintree challenge too. A pair of National rides during his own riding career yielded a fall at the first and a 10th place on the Gold Cup-winner Cool Ground. He has believed for a long time that the star of his small Co Westmeath stable has what is required to be a National hero.

“Horses have to be able to travel and jump at Aintree. It’s not a race for real stayers. With a bit of luck in running he will run a big race,” Lynch said of Oscar Time who came agonisingly close to winning last year’s Irish National.

Bluesea Cracker beat him then and the old rivals are among a dozen attempting to become the 23rd Irish-trained winner of the great race. Ground conditions though will be more in Oscar Time’s favour this time.

Horses with winning or placed form in the Irish National have a fine record at Aintree but The Midnight Club has topped the betting for some time and represents the all-conquering team of Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins.

Backstage is another Irish -trained runner that could challenge for favouritism, along with the Alex Ferguson-owned What A Friend and last year’s winner Don’t Push It who attempts to become the first since Red Rum (1973-74) to win back-to-back Nationals.

But this is a superior Irish challenge on the National, even in the context of a recent nine-year period (1999-2007) which supplied six victories for the raiders.

The legendary flat trainer Dermot Weld is back for another crack at the National with Majestic Concorde, 27 years after Greasepaint was runner-up, and Dessie Hughes has a pair of classy hopefuls in Vic Venturi and In Compliance.

Willie Mullins has two other worthy candidates in Arbor Supreme and Dooneys Gate who will be ridden by his son, Patrick.

But a month ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s historic visit to Ireland, victory in the National for a horse trained in Ireland and ridden by a quintessentially English amateur jockey would be timely.

And in its long, colourful history, the great Aintree race has thrown up a lot more unlikely storylines than that.

Brian's Verdict

1.Oscar Time.

2.Ballabrigs.

3.Killyglen.

4.In Compliance.