Sherwood eyes 2016 return

Trainer Oliver Sherwood has already hinted that Many Clouds will be trained for the 2016 Grand National after his win on Saturday.

The Hennessy Gold Cup winner landed the world’s most famous steeplechase, with jockey Leighton Aspell winning the race for the second year in a row.

Many Clouds was in disappointing form in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month but he bounced back in emphatic fashion at Aintree.

The eight-year-old eventually finished in front of Saint Are, Monbeg Dude, Alvarado and Shutthefrontdoor and Sherwood has already admitted he will be back to defend his title.

He said: “Many Clouds is absolutely A1. We stayed up last night but my staff said he was fantastic and that he’d eaten up and had a buck and a kick. He’s handled it better than most of the two-legged people in the yard!

“I think he’s a Gold Cup horse that’s won a National. He can only carry a pound more next year and we’ll probably train him for the National, as opposed to the Gold Cup.”