OUTSIDERS St Mellion Fairway and Do Rightly carry Oxfordshire's hopes in the Martell Grand National tomorrow.

And the two geldings will be breaking new ground for their trainers, Paul Webber and Mark Bradstock, by becoming their first runners in the Aintree spectacular.

St Mellion Fairway, a 66-1 chance, flies the flag for Webber's Cropredy yard near Banbury, while Do Rightly, a 150-1 shot, represents Bradstock's Letcombe Bassett stables near Wantage.

Webber, 39, is praying for rain for his nine-year-old gelding, who can't have the ground too soft.

"For him, I hope it rains from now until 3.30 on Saturday because he wants very soft ground. He is an old-fashioned type of staying horse. If God is good to us, and everything is right, he will run very well."

Gold Cup-winning jockey Andrew Thornton is a late replacement for Brendan Powell, who had originally been due to partner St Mellion Fairway.

As his name indicates, St Mellion Fairway has golfing connections, being owned by brothers Herman and Martin Bond, proprietors of St Mellion Golf Club in Cornwall.

In the south of the county at Letcombe Bassett, excitement has also been gathering at Bradstock's yard as Do Rightly prepares to tackle the daunting Aintree fences.

Do Rightly may be a long shot in the betting, but Bradstock, 40, is quick to remind punters that thenine-year-old chestnut was third to Nahthen Lad and Mr Mulligan in the Sun Alliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival two years ago.

"I think he has got a very good outside chance," said Bradstock. "He has certainly got very good form and he has every right to be there."

Do Rightly, who will be ridden by Paul Holley, runs in the colours of John Fitzpatrick, the High Sherriff of Dublin.

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