Trainer Tom Ellis talks to BBC Sport about Latenightpass, the Grand National hope ridden by his wife Gina Andrews.
By Ged ScottSuch is the increased Irish influence on racing in the UK, it is one of the big talking points of this weekend's Grand National that, of the 34 runners in this year's race, only five are English trained.
The lesser known of the three trainers is also from Warwickshire, Tom Ellis - and he and his amateur jockey wife Gina Andrews are the ones with the fairytale story in Latenightpass. Other than it being twice the distance, and the horse having been allocated a lower weight of 10st 10lb, the other big difference is that, for the first time, the horse will be running in trainer Tom's own name.
The family and friendship connections are strong. Gina's sister Bridget Andrews is the currently expectant wife of Harry Skelton, Dan's younger brother, the 2021 champion jockey and son of former Olympic gold medal winning showjumper Nick Skelton. "I've been best mates with Dan since the age of 11. At 16 I got my first two pointers and we rode them out together. We joined the Cheltenham young members' club, went to every meeting, and both rode round there in a hunter chase. And, when I first I floated this idea and asked his advice he gave it to me, the good and the bad."I'll never get another chance to train a horse for the National who's owned and bred by my mum and will be ridden by my wife.
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