National favourite suffers fatal injury
There was a major shake-up in the betting for the John Smith's Grand National after ante-post favourite Nil Desperandum was fatally injured at Uttoxeter.
The 10-year-old, trained by Venetia Williams, broke a leg after jumping the eighth fence in the John Smith's Midlands Grand National.
Williams said: "He shattered a pastern the second he landed. He jumped the fence fine and it just happened on landing.
"He has been a star of the season and jumping has been his forte."
Nil Desperandum, a ready winner of the Eider Chase on his penultimate start, was favourite for the Aintree marathon at around 10-1 after finishing fourth and sixth in the last two runnings of the famous race.
He has been replaced at the head of the National market by Dun Doire, who was in action at Down Royal where he landed a hard-fought victory in the Tennent's No.1 Chase.
The even-money favourite was all out to hold Romaha by three-quarters of a length.
Ladbrokes were unconvinced and left Tony Martin's charge unchanged at 10-1.
Spokesman David Williams said: "Dun Doire did what he had to do but the performance hasn't exactly sent us running for cover.
"We didn't see anything that warranted shortening up the favourite."
Christy Roche faces a race against time to get Far From Trouble ready for the Grand National.
"He was grand in Cheltenham on Sunday morning but prodded a foot joint which became infected," said Roche.
"The horse has now had a lot of antibiotics and it's going to be a race against time to get him ready for Aintree.
"It's touch and go."
John Smith's Grand National
Ladbrokes bet: 10-1 Dun Doire, 12-1 Numbersixvalverde, 14-1 Hedgehunter, Point Barrow, 16-1 Billyvoddan, Eurotrek, Exotic Dancer, Far From Trouble, 20-1 Idle Talk, Joes Edge, L'Ami, Simon, State Of Play, 25-1 bar.
Coral bet: 10-1 Dun Doire, 12-1 Numbersixvalverde, Point Barrow, 14-1 Far From Trouble, Hedgehunter, 16-1 Exotic Dancer, Homer Wells, Joes Edge, 20-1 Clan Royal, Eurotrek, Jack High, L'Ami, 22-1 Bothar Na, Idle Talk, 25-1 bar.
