The presence of Irish super mare Annie Power on Thursday ensures an A-list start to Aintree's three-day festival culminating in Many Cloud's bid for back-to-back Grand Nationals on Saturday.

Trained by Oliver Sherwood the 2015 victor heads the betting at 7-1 for Saturday's showstopper, the four miles two furlongs (6.8 kilometres) marathon over Aintree's fabled fences.

History is against him -- National legend Red Rum was the last to defend his crown over four decades ago.

But should Many Clouds succeed, his jockey Leighton Aspell will become the first rider to win three successive Nationals -- he also took the 2014 edition on Pineau De Re -- since the world famous race was first staged in 1839.

But before that chance to make National history the iconic racetrack in the Liverpool suburbs serves up two days of high class action, kicked off by recently crowned Champion Hurdler Annie Power in the Aintree Hurdle.

A fortnight after she became the first mare in 22 years to land the hurdling crown at Cheltenham, Annie Power returns to British shores, spearheading a strong Liverpool squad from Willie Mullins's all-conquering Irish stable.
"I'm very pleased with how she's come out of her race at Cheltenham," he reported.

She is joined in Thursday's race by her stablemate and Champion Hurdle third Nichols Canyon, while Cheltenham runner-up My Tent Or Yours and fourth-placed The New One also line-up for this intriguing sequel.

With over half a mile further to run than at Cheltenham, bookmakers make confirmed stayer Annie Power odds-on favourite to follow up.

Jockey Ruby Walsh told an Irish betting website: "She (Annie Power) proved her doubters wrong and the step up to 2m 4f in the Aintree Hurdle should be right up her street."

Whatever her fate, Mullins, who is closing in on his first British trainers championship, has a strong hand to play in the Betfred Bowl Chase.
He runs his Gold Cup second and third Djakadam and Don Poli, but this pair may have their work cut out to deal with Cue Card, travelling as good as anything when falling at the tricky third last fence in the Gold Cup won by Don Cossack.

Cue Card is even money favourite to gain handsome compensation for that rare tumble, with Djakadam next best at 9-4 and Don Poli a top-priced 6-1.

Friday sees riders set to do battle in the National get a taster of the big race fences in the Topham Chase.

On Saturday, the National is moved to a later slot as the sixth race on the card with a start time of 1615 GMT.

Mullins will be disappointed not to get a pre-National boost from his outstanding novice chaser Douvan, set to start the shortest priced favourite of the entire meeting at 1-7 for the Maghull Chase.

In the big one itself the Irish maestro, who hit the National jackpot with Hedgehunter in 2005, is multi-handed, his team headed by Boston Bob, the mount of two-time winning jockey Walsh.

Paul Nicholls, the man Mullins is trying to overhaul in the trainers' title race, holds a strong hand too with former King George VI Chase winner Silviniaco Conti occupying a prominent place in the ante-post betting.

But Many Clouds is the one this pair and the other 37 horses lining up have to beat.
Source: AFP