Paul Townend looks ahead to the Grand National on Pleasant Company

I have decided on my Grand National mount and after Pairofbrowneyes was not declared I am riding last year’s runner-up Pleasant Company.

It will be his third go at the National. He’s had exactly the same preparation as he did last year. His two runs weren’t inspiring going into it last year but he obviously likes Aintree.

He is 7lb higher but he seems in good order at home. If he could reproduce a run like last year we would get a good run for our money. He would be an exciting ride.

I haven’t got involved in too many Grand Nationals. I’ve had a lot of tries but have been pretty unsuccessful.

I thought I was going well on On His Own one year when he came down at Bechers second time. That’s about as exciting as I’ve got in the race. I’ll be hoping for a change of luck this time.

I will get a feel of the course on Cadmium (4.05) in the Topham on Friday. He is my only ride of the day.

He has plenty of weight and his wins have been over trips up to two and a quarter miles over fences.

He did win a two mile three hurdle race at Limerick on slow ground so the rain that has fallen might not inconvenience him as much as we’d think. I thought he would have a bit of pace over the first few fences to get into a good position.

He strikes me as a horse that will take to the National fences and if we can get into a good rhythm over the first three or four he will run a nice race.

I don’t think he won’t stay. Horses either take to the course or they don’t. I hope he will.

Paul