KIM Bailey believes The Rainbow Hunter has a better chance of winning the John Smith's Grand National than his long odds suggest, writes Jonathan Herbert
Aidan Coleman's mount is generally 66-1 to give the Andoversford handler his second victory in the iconic race after Mr Frisk in 1990.
The nine-year-old, owned by the May We Never Be Found Out Partnership, has won four of his 25 races but has never run at Aintree.
Leaving no stone unturned in a bid to improve his chances on Saturday, Bailey (inset) took The Rainbow Hunter for a workout over Grand National-style fences at Lambourn.
"He jumped six of the fences and we were very happy with him," he said.
"I think he'll run very well because at the end of the day he's a 140-rated chaser and he's got good form.
"I think he's a hell of a long price for what he is."
Bailey's number one jockey Jason Maguire was aboard for The Rainbow Hunter's most recent run, when he finished fourth at Ascot.
Coleman, in fourth spot in this season's jockeys' championship, takes over the reins on Saturday with Maguire staying loyal to his 2011 Grand National winner Ballabriggs.
Explaining the decision, Bailey said: "None of my regular pilots were available and the owners made the decision.
"One of the owners is involved in Racing UK and Aidan is Racing UK-sponsored. Also he's the fourth-top jockey in the country."
Following the deaths of Synchronised and According To Pete last year, changes have been brought in for the race on Saturday.
They include reducing the distance from the start to the first fence by 90 yards in an effort to reduce speed, levelling the landing side of Becher's Brook and replacing wooden posts in the fences with a softer material known as plastic birch.
Bailey has had 16 runners in the Grand National since carrying off the big prize – worth £547, 267 to the winner this year – with the Marcus Armytage-ridden Mr Frisk.
He has seen a number of alterations to the course in that time and now feels they have gone as far as they should go.
Reflecting on the latest changes, Bailey said: "It's unfortunately something that needed doing and has been done, and I think that's it and I don't think we need to change anything else.
"The fences are getting pretty small. We schooled over the Lambourn fences and the jockeys said they were bigger than the ones we'd jump at Aintree."
