LOCAL trainer David Pipe will have to wait another year to saddle his second winner of the greatest steeple chase in the world, The Grand National, which took place at Aintree on Saturday, writes Richard Walsh.  

The Pond House Yard’s best hope of success was Vieux Lion Rouge who, in the build up to the race, was the market leader. It eventually went off at 12-1 under stable jockey Tom Scudamore and despite being well in contention had to settle for sixth place.

Ballynagour under David Noonan went off at 66-1 and came in 11th while La Vaticane ridden by Richie McLernon set off at 80-1 and came in 15th of the 19 horses that finished.

Pipe’s other runner Dr Harper, a 50-1 shot ridden by Conor O’Farrell was pulled up and did not complete the course.

Although none of the Pipe entries finished in the frame, the good news from the stables on Sunday morning was that all the horses returned in one piece and none the worse for their trip round the Grand National course.

With several weeks of the 2016-17 national hunt season still remaining the Pipe stable will be looking to improve on the 59 winners that they have chalked up to date.