Super confirmed for National duty

Trainer Ian Williams has revealed that Super Duty will run in the Grand National next month at Aintree.

The coveted race takes place on April 11 in Liverpool and the nine-year-old will be featuring in the event following a seventh-place finish in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.

It was only the second race under the West Midlands trainer and, despite not being able to challenge for the win, the signs were positive enough to keep the National plans alive.

The bay gelding was last victorious back in December 2012 in the Shloer Novices' Chase but Williams believes his charge is getting close to the shape required to race at Aintree.

“Super Duty will still go for the National. He just found the ground round here too quick for him,” he said. “It's been very difficult to find the right race for him as I wanted to give him a run back over fences.

“He's jumped well enough but they just went too fast for him on that ground. He might possibly run once more before then, but if he had to go straight there he could do. The National is still quite a way off.”