THIS Saturday sees the Randox Health Grand National takes place and local connections are gearing up for another assault on the Aintree marathon over four-and-a-half miles and 30 fences.

The David Pipe-trained Vieux Lion Rouge is one of the favourites and is the intended mount of Tom Scudamore.

Vieux Lion Rouge was seventh last year behind 33/1 winner Rule The World and he gained more experience of the National fences when winning the Becher Chase at Aintree in December followed by two impressive prep runs which have strengthened his credentials.

The most recent was when Vieux Lion Rouge beat another main rival Blaklion by three-and-a-quarter-lengths in Haydock's National Trial and that gives Scudamore a chance of emulating his late grandfather Michael who famously won in 1959 aboard Oxo .

Tom’s father, the former multiple-champion jockey Peter Scudamore, never managed to emulate his father Michael, by winning the National as a jockey; but this year he will be also cheering on for One For Arthur.

Peter is assistant trainer to his partner, the Scottish based trainer Lucinda Russell, and One For Arthur is an 18/1 shot after winning Warwick's Classic Chase, a recognised National trial race, having earlier gone close over the National fences in the Becher Chase previously.

Kings Caple trainer Venetia Williams famously triumphed with 100/1 shot Mon Mome in the Aintree spectacular in 2009 and this year she has two runners with Tenor Nivernais and Houblon Des Obeaux.

Tenor Nivernais, owned by the Boultbee Brooks partnership, emerged as a leading contender for this year’s race with an impressive thirty length win at Ascot February and his front-running style of running should help keep him out of problems in the forty runner field.

Currently a 40/1 shot, he looks an enterprising bet for a place in the first four.

Kerry Lee has quickly established herself in the training ranks and the Byton based trainer has Bishops Road as a likely runner.

The eight-year -old ran over the Aintree fences last year in the Topham Chase where he unfortunately unseated his rider at the first fence but last previously had good form winning at Sandown and the Haydock National trial.

Current Champion jockey Richard Johnson made his debut in the famous race on locally trained Celtic Abbey in 1997, unseating him at The Chair and Johnson has taken part in the race for 19 consecutive years, twice being runner-up, on What's Up Boys in 2002 and Balthazar King in 2015.

Currently Johnson is without a mount as his intended partner Kruzhlinin has been withdrawn, but the Pembridge based jockey is on stand-by in case a mount becomes available.