Leighton Aspell, who famously once retired, stands on the brink of racing history on Saturday as the first jockey to win the £1 million ($1.4 million) Grand National three years in succession.

The 39-year-old Irishman, who hung up his boots for a couple of seasons in 2007, has never had cause to regret his decision to return to race riding.

In 2014 he landed the holy grail for a jump jockey in the shape of the world's most famous chase on 25-1 shot Pineau De Re.

And last year he was back in the Aintree winner's enclosure after an exhilarating exhibition of jumping over Liverpool's fabled fences on Many Clouds.

"My aim, when I came back, was to resurrect my career, be successful, make a living out of it and provide for my family.

"I couldn’t even have begun to dream about this," he told British tabloid The Daily Mirror.

Rare it is for a National winner to return 12 months later and repeat the feat, Red Rum was the last to defend his crown over four decades ago in 1974.

But Many Clouds, blissfully unaware of the historical odds stacked against him, lines up in the 4 mile 2 furlong showpiece due off at 1615GMT with all the credentials to suggest he will justify 7-1 favouritism.

Trained by Oliver Sherwood the nine-year-old runs in the colours of British businessman Trevor Hemmings who owns Championship football side Preston North End.

Hemmings is that luckiest of souls, in racing terms at any rate, being the owner of not only the 2015 National winner but also Hedgehunter, the 2005 victor, and Ballabriggs, who landed the race in 2011.

No owner has ever won four Nationals.

Many Clouds has enjoyed the perfect preparation for his title defence.

He ran well behind subsequent Gold Cup third Don Poli back at the iconic track in the Liverpool suburbs in December, and filled the runner-up spot again behind Hennessy winner Smads Place at Cheltenham, in January.

Then in a clear sign that he is coming to the boil at just the right time he trotted up by ten lengths in his final prep at Kelso a month ago.

Sherwood gave his stable star a glowing pre-race report.

"He's come right at the right time and as I've said Kelso was the first time he's been 100 per cent fit this season," he told The Racing Post.

Sherwood added: "The fences still need jumping, but I'm very happy with where we are and it's very exciting and I'm enjoying the ride. He's fresh and very well."

While his connections and fans and thousands of once-a-year punters around the world -- the race has an estimated global television audience of 500 million -- will be shouting him home, bookmakers are dreading a Many Clouds victory.

"Over £20 million will be put on Many Clouds as the 8-1 hot favourite and returning champion," Simon Clare of Corals told British press on the eve of the meeting.

"A victory on Saturday would make history of the worst kind for British bookies, as the biggest ever payout on the Grand National. It could be up to £200m."

David Williams, of Ladbrokes, added: “The gamble on Many Clouds is already making bookies weak at the knees."

As befits a race whose first winner back in 1839 was the aptly-named Lottery, the National is prone to treating logic with disdain.

If Many Clouds should have an off day or ill luck in running then there are plenty waiting to pounce.

Among them The Last Samuri, 10-1 second favourite. He has sound claims based on his last two winning warm-up runs and represents a trainer who won the National back in 1990.

Silviniaco Conti is a class act, a dual King George VI Chase winner but untested over these fences.

He is one of a team of six for Paul Nicholls, whose British trainers' title is under threat from Irish maestro Willie Mullins.

Mullins is four-handed with his best chance arguably Sir Des Champs, partnered by two-time winning rider Ruby Walsh.

But he and the rest are destined to find themselves drowned out on Saturday afternoon with the forecast of many clouds over Aintree for the second year running.
Source :AFP