Character Building could provide National Fairytale for Nina Carberry
The Grand National has long been associated with fairytale victories and although that isn’t true every year, top female jockey Nina Carberry riding the handsome grey Character Building to victory would be right up there.
Unquestionably one of the best female riders over fences, Nina rode the John Quinn trained 11-y-o into seventh place in the 2010 running of the John Smith's Grand National and admits she thought she'd be placed jumping the final fence.
"I rode him last year when I didn't really know him, but at least I know him a bit better this year and I've ridden him once since so I'm looking forward to the ride now. Last year we went very quick early on. He was fourth jumping the last but he just got a bit tired. Hopefully this year I'll be able to lie a bit closer and get into a rhythm. If he runs a race like last year I'll be delighted. John Quinn said he is better prepared this year than he was last year so that's a big plus."
Character Building is widely available at 33/1 and given the horse is nearly a stone lower in the weights than last year, there is every possibility that he can get in the money and he looks a decent each-way bet on merit, with the fairytale element sure to attract plenty of bets as well.