In the upcoming Randox Grand National at Aintree, Eldorado Allen, trained by Joe Tizzard, will be one of the few British horses representing the home side. Eldorado Allen has shown promising form in staying chases, including a victory in the 2022 Denman Chase and second-place finishes in the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase during the same season. In the current season, he finished fourth in the Coral Gold Cup before switching to hurdles for one race in January, where he pulled up on heavy ground at the Cheltenham Festival.
Tizzard hopes for faster conditions at Aintree, as he believes Eldorado Allen performs better on firmer ground as he has grown older. Despite a couple of disappointing runs, Tizzard sees potential in the horse's Coral Gold Cup performance, where he finished strongly and showcased his class and rhythm. Tizzard prefers decent soft ground for Eldorado Allen and believes he has a chance of running well in the Grand National.
Although Eldorado Allen has competed at Aintree before, he has never raced on the Grand National course. To familiarise the horse with National-type obstacles, Tizzard plans to take him to David Pipe's yard at Nicholashayne for schooling over the fences. Tizzard feels it is important to give Eldorado Allen the experience and confidence over the unique challenges of the course.
Tizzard acknowledges that the British contingent in the Grand National is likely to be one of the smallest ever, but he remains positive about the situation. He believes the numbers will change in the future and that English trainers will enter horses in the race when they have suitable contenders. Tizzard points out the success of English horses at the recent Cheltenham Festival, indicating that there will be an increase in English entries for the Grand National in the coming years.