Robbie Power, Grand National winner and rider of Poker Party in Saturday’s big race says you need luck on your side to win the Grand National – Past…

Who are you siding with for the Grand National at 5.15pm?

I think last years winner Minella Times will find it very difficult this year with the big weight on his back. Delta Work was back on form with a cracking win in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham. That race is often key for the Grand National and thats good form.

My own ride Poker Party has a lot to find on form this season, but he is a Kerry National winner, stamina shouldnt be an issue and the ground would have been against him in the Cheltenham Cross Country on his last start. With decent ground at Aintree, he may have a decent each-way chance.

Discorama has been trained with this race in mind, he was 6th last year and he had a decent run the last day at Fairyhouse when 2nd over 3m. Hes going in a bit fresher this year and Paul Nolan knows how to get one right for the big day. For someone looking an each-way bet, I think hes overpriced.

Escaria Ten ran a cracking race in the Bobbyjo Chase when just touched off by Any Second Now, who was unlucky in running last year.

If Fiddlerontheroof got his jumping together he could be a big, big danger. Id have thought stamina wouldnt be an issue, but he didnt jump very well at Ascot the last day and if he doesnt get into a good rhythm, itll be difficult. For that reason, Im going to side with ESCARIA TEN.

How much of a Grand National success is down to luck and how much depends on the horse you ride?

The Grand National is the race we all want to win, and I was lucky enough to win it on my second attempt.

I think, because I won it so young, I now realise how lucky you need to be to win a Grand National and how much you need things to go your way on the day.

I completed on my first start, in 2005, and won it on the second ride in 2007 thats 15 years ago. Ive had at least 10 or 11 rides in the Grand National since, so I know how much luck is required to win a Grand National.

You can always think every year you have a horse for the Grand National, but theyre unique fences and if your horse doesnt take to them, you know by the time you get to Bechers Brook the first time whether or not my chance is gone, or Im going to struggle to get around here, or my horse isnt really enjoying this. You kind of know your fate pretty early on in the Grand National, as to what kind of chance youre going to have in the race.

Are the fabled Grand National fences as fearsome as they once were?

I think the modifications have taken that fear away a little bit, but Bechers Brook is still a daunting fence.

Fence number three in the Grand National is a great big ditch and that kind of sets your tone for the race.

Before the modifications, when I first rode over the National fences, the jump at Bechers was an awful lot bigger and youre inclined to keep well away from the inside of it because the drop was much bigger in there. But thats been modified and it does make it an awful lot easier you can chance more on the inside of Bechers at not as high a risk, but its still a big fence and it still commands plenty of respect.

Is your daughter still a fan of daddy or have you lost out to Rachael Blackmore?

If I win a race now she thinks that Rachael [Blackmore] mustnt have been in the race. Shes definitely more Rachael Blackmore than Robbie Power!

What is the atmosphere like in Liverpool during the Grand National?

Aintree is just an unbelievable atmosphere the Friday and Saturday, especially.

The atmosphere there is just second to none the Liverpool people really get behind the Grand National, and everywhere you go in the city a couple of days before Aintree its are you riding anything in the Grand National? Have you a chance? Everybody gets involved and has a punt.

I think this year, more than any other year, the atmosphere is going to be second to none because the people of Liverpool have missed two Grand Nationals 2020 was cancelled and 2021 was behind closed doors. So, its the first Grand National since 2019 where people are able to go and watch it. I think this year the atmosphere is going to be extra special.

I think you just feed off the whole buzz of the week. I fly over on Thursday and as soon as you arrive you can feel the buzz around the city about the Grand National. Everybody is talking about the Grand National, although they are playing Man City in a crunch game, on Sunday until the Grand National is over on Saturday, all everyone is going to be talking about is the Grand National.

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Robbie Power 2007 Grand National-winning jockey with Silver Birch

We caught up with Robbie Power, Grand National winner and rider of Poker Party in this years big race on behalf of BoyleSports latest horse racing betting to run through a day in his life on the biggest race on the planet, as well as getting the inside track on the unique Liverpool atmosphere and how the Reds fan is feeling ahead of their crunch clash against Man City.

The Grand National is important Man City v Liverpool is more important, right?

Yeah, it is actually its fantastic. Theyve moved the game as well, it was supposed to be at half [past] five on Saturday which would have clashed with the Grand National so it made sense, because I think every Liverpool fan will be watching the match on Sunday, so the Grand National is the perfect appetizer for the game on Sunday.

Im not going to the Etihad [stadium], Ill be back home in Ireland with a front-row seat on the couch to watch the game.

Did you manage to tip your 2007 winner to any locals?

Yeah, actually the year I won the Grand National the cabbie was asking me what I was riding and I told him, and he said Im stopping now on the way home to back it so I hope he did! I didnt get the same taxi back to the airport, but I hope he did.

Everyone in Liverpool gets involved and if Im in a restaurant having a meal or something, I think whoever serves me will probably back me in the Grand National. The same as if Im in a taxi going out to the racecourse, that taxi driver is probably going to have a few quid on me in the Grand National and thats what the race is all about, everybody has their fancies for the Grand National and as weve seen time and time again, anybody can win the Grand National.

Was winning the Grand National a childhood dream come true?

From the moment I started to have thoughts about being a jockey, the Grand National was the race I always wanted to win.

I was actually born in 1981, and the first horse I sat on was a horse called Aldaniti, who won the Grand National in 1981. He stayed in our yard when Bob Champion was doing a tour for cancer. Bob brought Aldaniti around the racecourse in Ireland and stayed at our place the first ever picture of me in the house was of me sitting on Aldiniti as a ten-year-old champ. So that was the first Grand National winner I ever rode.

Every year, from the start of the season, youre thinking this could be a Grand National horse, or what can I have for the Grand National. Its not something that starts the week before, its something that builds up from the start of the season, with what horse can I get on for the Grand National.

How does your day-to-day visit to Liverpool look?

I fly in on Thursday and stay in a hotel outside of Liverpool. I dont really make plans for Thursday evening as its almost straight to bed when I get in, check into the hotel and straight to bed.

I ride in the Topham Chase on Friday, which is a nice warm-up for the Grand National, it gives you a feel for the fences the day before which can be a good thing, or a bad thing, Im not sure which.

Friday evening again, its pretty quiet myself and a couple of the other lads might go for dinner somewhere and thats it then, its quiet enough. Just looking forward and studying through what your plan is for the big race the next day.

Well all walk the course, nearly every jockey that rides in the Grand National will walk the course. Ill walk it before the Topham [Chase] as Im riding in the Topham and then I wont walk it again after that. Youre walking more to check out the ground for your horse and find where the best ground on the track is, more so than anything else. Its very straightforward to find your way around the Grand National just knowing what fence is coming next is quite important as well.

With the big race at 5.15pm does the day seem longer than a usual race day?

I actually find the day itself quite painful. We have to be at the racecourse for 12 oclock, to have a briefing about the Grand National, which is something I think is totally unnecessary for professional jockeys. I think, if they want to do a briefing, it should be done the evening before because having riders there from 12 oclock, the Grand National is quarter past five, I actually think it makes riders more anxious an awful lot sooner than it needs to be. Its not something you can do, you cant pull out to the racecourse at 12 oclock and then go back into your hotel and rest for a while.

It makes no sense to me having that briefing at 12 oclock on the day. Why dont they have it an hour before the race, or the evening before, so the jockeys can go home from the briefing and relax. Its not ideal the Liverpool players wont be at the Etihad at 12 oclock before a half four kick off on Sunday will they?

Does showing your horse the first fence really make a difference?

I dont think so. I think its something mentally that you do, I dont think it makes any difference showing the horse the fence. I just think its a thing that was done years and years ago and it has never changed I dont see that it makes any difference at all.

Its kind of a superstition if you dont go down and show your horse the first fence and you fall, then you say I should have shown him or her the fence.

I dont think it makes any difference at all.

What is your prediction for Sundays game between Man City and Liverpool?

I think it will be a draw 1-1 which I think will be a good result for Liverpool as long as they dont lose.

Its a game that both teams dont want to lose, so I can see a draw, but I hope Im wrong and I hope its 2-1 to Liverpool.

Tramore will be getting a wide berth on Sunday!

https://www.boylesports.com/sports/horse-racing

Photo:Rachael Blackmore (@TheJockeyClub)

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Robbie Power, Grand National winner and rider of Poker Party in Saturday's big race says you need luck on your side to win the Grand National - Past...