Silver By Nature has been given the go-ahead to run in the John Smith's Grand National following discussions between owners Geoff and Joyce Brown, trainer Lucinda Russell and her partner, former champion jump jockey Peter Scudamore.
Russell has always been keen on the grey taking his chance in the world's greatest steeplechase, as long as the ground is safe, and he put himself in line for a trip to Liverpool on April 9 by defying top weight in the Grand National Trial at Haydock.
"As long as the ground is OK he will be running in the National. Ideally we want soft ground. I trust Aintree that they will produce good, safe ground and that is the most important thing to us," said the Kinross handler.
"The National itself has changed so much in the past five to 10 years. It's a staying chase for which they produce safer ground and the fences are a hell of a lot safer.
"He's been running away up the gallops which is a mild concern. He's not usually like that, but he's been a lot fresher since Haydock. I think it's nice for the horse that he's got his confidence back. He'd had a few hard races and he finds that Haydock track easy and he just enjoys himself.
"He'll train away for the next three weeks and have an easy week before the race and we'll just get him fresh for Aintree. He won't have a racecourse gallop. He can have a variation here as we've got two yards so we'll take him across to the other one and work him on the grass.
"We'll make an Aintree-type fence, but I'm quite happy with his jumping. I thought he jumped quite well round Haydock. He's an experienced horse now and Peter Buchanan (jockey) said his run at Newbury (in the Hennessy) just crowned him and made a man of him. Ever since then his jumping's been good."
No grey has won the world's greatest steeplechase since Nicolaus Silver in 1961 while there has only been one Scottish-based winner, Rubstic in 1979.
Silver By Nature, who is set to carry 10st 12lb, can be backed at 16-1 for National glory.
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