If much of sport is about confidence then Regal Encore is no 66-1 shot for Randox Health Grand National glory with his jockey Robbie Power going into Saturday's big race on a roll.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup winning rider began his new job as retained rider to owners Ann and Alan Potts in the best possible style with a Grade One double at Aintree on Friday.
The Colin Tizzard trained pair Fox Norton and Pingshou got the new arrangement off to a perfect start with wins in the Melling Chase and the Top Novices Hurdle.
As if to emphasise how momentum can build up, Tizzard then completed a 4,334/1 big race hat-trick with Ultragold’s shock 50-1 victory in the Topham Chase over the big National fences.
Neither Tizzard or the Potts’ have a National runner but Power will try to repeat his famous 2007 success on Silver Birch aboard the JP McManus-owned Regal Encore and he does so in the form of his life.
If Pinghshou was a 16-1 surprise then Fox Norton built in style on his narrow Champion Chase defeat at Cheltenham when upped half a mile for the first time in the Melling Chase. The 4-1 shot beat the Irish favourite Sub Lieutenant.
Power’s confidence that Sizing John needed a stamina test was vital in the Potts horse landing last month’s Gold Cup and the 35 year old jockey believes Fox Norton could relish even further again.
“I schooled him last week and I was in no doubt two and a half miles would play to his strengths. I was never in any danger. He’s very classy and could well be a King George horse,” he said. “It’s a pleasure for me to ride horses like this.”
Power will have two more Grade One chances for Potts on Saturday when the Coral Cup winner Supasundae lines up for the Ryanair Hurdle and Finian’s Oscar contests the Mersey Hurdle.
There were seven fallers – and two jockeys unseated – in the Topham over the big National fences but all horses were reported unscathed.
Both Daryl Jacob and Liam Treadwell will have to pass the doctor ahead of the National after taking falls.
The Irish pair Katnap and Portrait King chased home Ultragold and Katnap looked slightly unlucky as Danny Mullins did well to survive a bad mistake by the horse during the race.
It was a successful first ride over the National fences for Ultragold's jockey Harry Cobden who rides Just A Par in the National.
