Rocky Creek gives Thornton National chance

Rocky Creek, who has successfully completed the last two Nationals, will be the North Yorkshire jump jockey’s 14th ride in the Aintree spectacular.

It will also be one of Thornton’s last rides in the world’s greatest steeplechase.

At 43 years of age he could have the distinction of being the oldest rider in this year’s race as he closes in on his 1,000th winner – he remains 10 short of the celebrated landmark.

He is indebted to the support of leading owner Andy Stewart, whose family own Rocky Creek with relatives of the late David Johnson, for securing the ride, one of six runners in the race for champion trainer Paul Nicholls.

“He said he would look to help me get to 1,000 winners, but I didn’t think it would be the National,” Thornton told The Yorkshire Post.

“I thought it would be a novice hurdle at Newton Abbot at the height of summer. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a great ride to have.

“He’s had seven weeks off since his last run and don’t forget he was second earlier in the season to Don Cossack who went on to win the Gold Cup. I schooled him last Wednesday at Wincanton and it went really well. You never know.”

Thornton’s best result came in 1998 when his mount St Mellion Fairway finished fourth to Earth Summit. A much-respected safety officer with the Professional Jockeys Association, Thornton says the National still remains the ultimate test for horse and rider despite modifications to the fences to make them more forgiving.

“Forty horses, thirty fences. A test of horsemanship and endurance. You also need a slice of luck. You can’t win without it,” he said.

“In the last 15 years, you’ve had a 100-1 winner (Mon Mome), 66-1 winner (Auroras Encore) and just four finishers in 2001 (Red Marauder won). Anything can happen. It’s still a massive test.

“What has been done has been done and no more changes need to be made. I can’t see how you can make the race any safer. If it becomes just another race, people will turn off.”

Thornton believes top weight Many Clouds has an outstanding chance to repeat his win of 2015. When schooling Rocky Creek, he was particularly taken with two-time King George hero Silviniaco Conti who “looked magnificent”.

As well as Rocky Creek and Silviniaco Conti, the aforementioned Nicholls also intends to saddle Wonderful Charm, Unioniste, Black Thunder and Just A Par as he bids to cling onto his trainer’s title from Ireland’s Willie Mullins, who will be four-handed.

His quartet includes Boston Bob, who won the Bobbyjo Chase, a top National trial, on his last outing and is the provisional ride of two-time winner Ruby Walsh.

Meanwhile Saltburn-born James Reveley will ride Vieux Lion Rouge for David Pipe, reward for the Yorkshire jockey carrying the same colours to victory in last year’s French Champion Hurdle aboard Un Temps Pour Tout. Pipe’s stable jockey Tom Scudamore has opted to ride former Cheltenham winner Ballynagour in preference to Soll.

However, Jimmy Moffatt’s Becher Chase winner Highland Lodge, the intended mount of Middleham jockey Henry Brooke, has still not made the 40-runner cut – he could still need as many as five horses to be withdrawn.

Others in a similar predicament include 2014 winner Pineau De Re who is due at this stage to be ridden by North Yorkshire-based Brian Hughes.