By Oxford Mail racing editor RUSSELL SMITH (Blewbury)

Him of Praise looks to have all the credentials required to land the Martell Grand National (3.45) at Aintree tomorrow.

The eight-year-old gelding, trained by Oliver Sherwood at Lambourn, jumps well, is a dour stayer and will appreciate the soft ground.

Him of Praise has won six of his ten career races, being placed in the other four, and also has the assistance of Irish champ-ion jockey Charlie Swan.

The bay gelding won his first four starts off the reel this season, culminating in a convincing victory over Call It A Day at Sandown.

Him Of Praise then looked to have Uttoxeter's Singer & Friedlander National Trial at his mercy when he was left in the lead by Kamikaze's fall two out, but he idled in front and was collared on the run-in by Ottowa and Call It A Day.

Last time out he produced another gutsy performance to finish a seven-length second to Dom Samourai in the Greenalls Gold Cup at Haydock with tomorrow's rivals Earth Summit, Nahthen Lad, Avro Anson, Dun Belle, Court Melody and Into The Red all well in arrears.

Strath Royal, conceding Him of Praise 8lbs, was a head back in third that day, and he went on to finish on the heels of Suny Bay and Challenger Du Luc at level weights when they were unplaced in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Owen Brennan's charge is a reliable yardstick and his run at the Festival suggests Suny Bay, last year's National runner-up, has it all to do to concede 2st to Him of Praise.

The talented Challenger du Luc has failed to put his best foot forward on more than one occasion, even with the persuasion of record-breaking champion jockey Tony McCoy. He is in the saddle again, but Challenger du Luc is not one to trust.

Rough Quest, the 1996 National hero, fell six out in the Gold Cup when still to make his challenge, and he would appear a bigger danger.

However, he has never won a handicap with over 11st and although he should make a bold show, he will do well to regain his crown.

Earth Summit has been below par on his last two starts at Haydock, but he is said not to show his best at the Lancashire course and if reproducing the form of his Welsh National win when he beat Dom Samourai and Samlee at Chepstow at Christmas, he would go close.

There is no reason why Samlee should turn the tables on Earth Summit, but he has won over the Aintree fences when taking the Becher Chase from Court Melody last November, and with Richard Dunwoody aboard, has to be respected.

Of the rest, the mudlark St Mellion Fairway, who was fifth in last year's Irish National, could run well at long odds.

if the ground comes up really testing.

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