Racing: Grand National seen as path to Japan

Paul and Carol Nelson have another reason for winning the Grand National Steeplechase with No Hero at Riccarton Park tomorrow beside just adding their names to a distinguished roll of honour.

They hope it will help to get him to Japan next year for the Nakayama Grand Jump, the world's richest steeplechase race.

"We want to prove that he is not just a plugger who is a good jumper but a horse smart enough to put them to the test up there," Paul Nelson said.

"We are not counting our chickens or anything. It is just that if he wins well he will be a step closer to the trip."

Nelson could also become the first trainer to win the Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdles in the same year since Ken Browne in 1981 with Dark Purple and Charlestown. Just A Swagger won the Hurdles on Wednesday.

But while the public assumes No Hero is the proverbial "shots eye" the Nelsons know it will not be easy.

No Hero, a grey with a laid-back approach to life, is attempting to set a modern record in New Zealand of seven successive steeple victories, one more than that set by a former Grand National winner, Bodle.

More remarkably, the wins are spread over more than two years. He won three in succession in his first jumps campaign in 2003, was sidelined with a tendon injury for nearly two years and has returned to win the Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Koral Steeplechases this winter.

In those efforts he has had the benefit of the skills of Jonathan Riddell who will be the first to ride the winner of both Grand Nationals in the same year since Megan Prendergast in 1999 if successful.

"He had to dig in today to get there and he did. Often in the past he has done it easily but he showed he can find it when it is needed" Riddell said of No Hero after the Koral.

His tendon is watched with vigilance but has so far caused no problems for the Nelsons. He seems to have done well enough during the week and will probably have had to improve from his Koral outing to win tomorrow.

No Hero was probably not quite as convincing as many expected in the Koral though there was not the pressure on him which will apply tomorrow.

"He seems well enough and he has a better feel for the track now. The conditions won't worry him whatever they are. There is not a lot more we can do but hope," Paul Nelson said.

Kevin Myers has the dark horse, Lucky Tip, which has upset hopes.

"He has had a stone bruise. I thought a run on the flat [Wednesday] would bring it all out but it hasn't happened yet," Myers said."I won't run him if he is not 100 per cent though."

Lucky Tip has already won a Grand National Hurdle and rarely missed a place steeplechasing.

He was a good if distant second to No Hero in the Hawkes Bay Steeplechase but meets the favourite 1kg better off.

Howie Mathews feels Garaina might be "a year away from his best as a jumper" and the Nelson second string, No Sweat, is not quite in the same class as his stablemate. No Hero should be one tomorrow and if he is will be one of the more memorable of Grand National winners.

But it will not be easy.