Any Second Now (nearside) and Denis O'Regan© Photo Healy Racing
Any Second Now placed in the last two renewals of the Randox Grand National, warmed up for another crack at the Aintree showpiece by taking the Webster Cup Chase at Navan.
The Ted Walsh-trained gelding won this Grade 2 event en route to an unlucky third at Aintree in 2021 and was runner-up to Noble Yeats in the National last year.
Denis O’Regan partnered the 11-year-old in the absence of regular rider Mark Walsh, who was injured in a fall at Cheltenham last Friday, and the 5/4 favourite headed the front-running Velvet Elvis after two out.
Any Second Now soon asserted and kept on strongly on the run-in to beat that rival by seven lengths. Hurricane Darwin finished 11 lengths away in third while Busselton who was making no impression when blundering two out, was a further half-a-length back in fourth.
Walsh said, “He did it nicely, he didn't do any more than he had to do. Denis was happy with him. He popped away well. Got under the last a bit, the ground is very testing. When he grabbed a hold of him at the back of the last, he quickened up well.
“Each time he has gone to Aintree, his last run has been a win. It has been great to have him and he has been a model of consistency.
“A month (to Aintree), I was glad this was on as it was called off here last week. He has a month from last Saturday which is grand. As long as he stays sound and healthy, he will go there. He has a big task with the topweight on his back.
"He wasn't unlucky last year, a better horse on the day beat him - a horse on the improve. He was unlucky the year before and he'll go back and run a good race again, but everything would want to fall right for you.
"It is seven years since he won his maiden hurdle here as a four-year-old. He's grand and a straightforward horse, he's a bus of a ride."
Paddy Power cut Any Second Now into 12/1 (from 14/1) for the Randox Grand National.
Quotes by Michael Graham
