Butlers Cabin ~ 2010 Grand National Runner
The photo above shows jockey Tony McCoy on board Butlers Cabin
JP McManus’ Butlers Cabin was chosen as the mount of thirteen times Champion Jockey AP McCoy for the 2009 Grand National, and he was the 10/1 second favourite to win the Aintree race. They looked highly feasible to win considering McCoy’s status and the fact that McCoy had previously ridden Butlers Cabin to victory at the 2007 Irish Grand National, at Fairyhouse, when at 14/1 he beat Nine de Sivola by one length.
At the time McCoy stated that any horse that can win over four miles at the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and then win an Irish National within the space of three weeks is obviously very special.
During his career, Butlers Cabin has fallen only once, but unfortunately it was during the 2008 National where he fell at fence 22, Becher’s Brook, on the second circuit, and while he didn’t fall during the 2009 National, he only managed seventh place behind Mon Mome, beaten by twenty-four lengths.
Trained by Jonjo O'Neill in Gloucestershire, this year Butlers Cabin is already in the antepost odds for the Grand National at 95/1 with Betfair or 33/1 with paddy Power. He has the stamina required to win, but it remains to be seen whether AP McCoy will choose him this year as his mount and whether he still has what it takes to win a race as challenging as the National.
It has been speculated that the handicapper needs to take a softer line with Butlers Cabin, as he seems to have previously assessed him on his Grand National form, and not his more recent fruitless appearances.
