Dejected Williamson pursues Aintree ride

The beginning of Grand National week has materialised and the grand publicity is about to sweep in. Over the next few days there will be the tales of bold horses and bold men, slow motion pictures from the half-light of the gallops accompanied by dramatic orchestral music.

What there will not be, if the organisers have anything to do with it at least, is much reference to the latent disaster that awaits the runners on Saturday afternoon. The cornflakes have already been spraying about the breakfast table of Charles Barnett, Aintree's managing director, following last Tuesday's article in The Independent which detailed the steps Animal Aid were to take in an effort to disrupt the 153rd running of the unique race.

Now Barnett will have something else to capture his attention in the wake of the death of Betty's Boy on Kim Bailey's gallops on Saturday. Having a high-profile contestant die in the run-up to the meeting is not the emphasis the good burghers of Liverpool required.

Norman Williamson, Betty's Boy's regular jockey, spoke of his old partner's passing yesterday. "It was very, very sad for all concerned. I'm absolutely gutted about it as he was such a great old horse I'd ridden many times," the Irishman said. "He always improved about two stones at this time of year and I'm positive he would have had a great chance in the race as Kim said he was absolutely flying at home.''

Williamson will now choose between Escartefigue and Mely Moss. "I will make a decision about which horse I ride tomorrow evening," the jockey said.

Escartefigue's trainer, Paul Nicholls, will also be sending his stable battleships See More Business and Flagship Uberalles to the meeting and hopes they will regain reputations soiled on firmish ground at the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicholls also has Earthmover, Torduff Express and Flaked Oats in the National and it is the first-named he sees as his best prospect. "They have all jumped the new Grand National-style fences we have at home well," the Ditcheat trainer said, "but if the ground stays on the good side I would probably just favour Earthmover as he will go to the race a fresh horse and he worked well with Linton Rocks, who has won since, the other day.''

Last year's winner, Bobbyjo, travels from Ireland on Wednesday as he attempts to become the first horse since Red Rum to win consecutive Nationals. The 11-year-old has not raced over fences this season, but then that is no great departure. "It hasn't worried him for the last two years when he's won the Irish National and also at Aintree," Tommy Carberry, Bobbyjo's trainer, said. "His preparation has gone okay and the horse is in good form, but he's gone up so much in the weights that I think he's got it all do.''

Bobbyjo is a proven good-ground performer but Carberry would not be too concerned if the going eased. "I think the danger of it getting really heavy is very minimal," he said. The horse is scheduled to be ridden, as last year, by the trainer's son Paul, even though he has not been in a race since partnering Florida Pearl in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. His back problems are clearing up.

Paul Flynn, though, will not return for the ride on Choisty, who won the Warwick National in January. His injury leaves the seat clear for Robert Widger as Choisty has his third crack over the fences which are being replenished by Lake District spruce this week.

"Choisty is very well and did a good bit of work yesterday," Ted Haynes, the trainer said. "He is in the handicap this year and if he has some luck and gets round we are hopeful he'll get in the money.''

One which achieved such a feat 12 months ago, third-placed Call It A Day, is now to be a first National ride for Barry Geraghty, the current leader in the Irish jockeys' championship. "I'm very happy to have booked Barry, who is having such a fantastic season in Ireland," Alan King, the trainer, said. "We waited until now to see who was available, as most of the top jockeys in this country are already booked.''