Before we kick off, I’d like to say how good it was to see Shiskhin back to his best last weekend at Ascot. He obviously had it all to do to show he could perform at that level again, but he was savage the whole way around and went through the line well.

While he’s a Ryanair horse for this year, he could become a Gold Cup horse next year. I’d love to see him in the King George in December.

The weights for the Randox Health Grand National came out on Tuesday. After going through them, I’ve pinpointed a few that I will be keeping my eye on in the coming weeks as we build up to the great race.

I’ll start off by saying it’s going to be tough for Any Second Now to finally get his head in front off top weight.

The last time a horse carried top weight was Red Rum and as an 11-year-old, he isn’t getting any younger. It’ll be tough to find that improvement. That said, it’s the Grand National and it can throw up surprises.

It’s an Irish-dominated race now. It used to be a bit of a specialist’s race and finding a well handicapped horse was key, but it’s a top-class race now and you need a top-class horse. I thought Coko Beach won a Grand National Trial well for Gordon recently. He’s got 11 stone on his back and that could be the right type of weight as it has been of late.

Kempton on Saturday

Scriptwriter  (13:50) has looked very good this season and wasn’t beaten far by a good horse at Cheltenham on Trials Day. You don’t know how much some of the others have improved, but on the form they’ve shown, his is by far the best.

Boothill has been ultra-consistent this season but was beaten at Doncaster last time in a race he should probably have won. I’m not sure he’s going to have a much easier task here. I think Nicky Henderson's Tweed Skirt  (14:25) is the one to side with.

She actually ran really well to a point at Cheltenham in the Mares’ Novice last season and has looked smart in her two wins this season. She was beaten by older mares with more experience at Huntingdon last time and that would have eked out some improvement in her.

Cap Du Nord  (15:00) sluiced up at Ascot last time and has clearly bounced back into form at the right time. He’s dropped down the ratings and they’ve booked a good young Irish jockey in Cian Quirke to come over and take off an extra 5lb.

Newcastle on Saturday

The Eider is real test of stamina for these horses. It’ll take some getting but it’s being run on quicker ground than usual, which will play into the strengths of Kitty’s Light  (15:25).

It could be some cross-the-card double for Christian Williams, as he trains Cap Du Nord too. This horse is only very small but he’s a mighty leaper, he jumps like a stag! He’s down to a mark of 132 now and he’s crying out for this trip.

Fairyhouse on Saturday

The Bobbyjo Chase is a race we’ve won with Any Second Now before, but he’s not running in it this year. It looks a good race with Kemboy lining up, too. Longhouse Poet and Farclas are two horses that will be aimed at the Grand National and their runs should be watched.

They’ll have to go some to beat Carefully Selected  (15:55), who was very good in the Thyestes at Gowran last time. This horse was placed in a Cheltenham Bumper, he’s got speed, but he stays so well. He’s obviously not been easy to train but if they’ve had a clear run with him, he could well be tough to beat.  

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