BE careful of the trainer stat too. The one that says that a trainer cannot win a race because he has never won it.

So Willie Mullins has never won the Irish Grand National. It doesn’t mean that he can’t win it. (Ref: this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.)

Remember, Gordon Elliott had never won the Irish National before he sent General Principle out to win it last year.

Also, Willie Mullins’ Isleofhopendreams was beaten a head last year. And Bellshill might have won it had the ball hopped a little more kindly. (See above.)

Bellshill raced off a mark of 158 last year. Since then, he has won a Punchestown Gold Cup and an Irish Gold Cup, and he is now rated 168.

And if Kemboy hadn’t fallen at the first fence last year, he might have won. The Supreme Racing Club’s horse was racing off a mark of 145 then.

He has run in six races since, and he has won five of them, a Savill’s Chase and an Aintree Bowl among them.

He is now rated 174, 29lbs higher than he was at this time last year. Hindsight being 20-20 and all, it is remarkable that he was allowed go off at 14/1 last year.