JUST A Par will run in this Saturday’s Randox Health Grand National at Aintree after all following a late injury withdrawal.

The 12-year-old, trained by Cartmel-based James Moffatt, was initially not among the 40 declared runners when they were announced at 10am this morning and looked set to head to the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on April 13.

However, he was listed as first reserve and when the news broke that Mall Dini was ruled out due to a leg injury it meant Just A Par took the Pat Kelly-trained nine-year-old’s place ahead of the 1pm tomorrow cut-out point for any reserves to get a call-up.

The Mail: Picture: GentingBetPicture: GentingBet

Picture: GentingBet

The news came as a huge blow to Mall Dini’s owner Philip Reynolds, who was given the news ahead of the Red Rum Chase at Aintree on Thursday.

“I’ve been waiting for a National runner all my life and I’ve lost him on the eve of the Grand National,” Reynolds was quoted as saying in the Racing Post.

“I’m really upset, it’s not been a great year.”

Moffatt, who last had a Grand National runner in 2017 when Highland Lodge – who tackles the National fences in the Topham Chase tomorrow – knew it would be close as to whether Just A Par made the cut.

However, he has been training the former Paul Nicholls inmate as if he would be in and Just A Par will be more than ready to tackle this year’s renewal of the world-famous steeplechase.

“We knew it was going to be tight, but that doesn't stop the way you train him,” Moffatt told The Mail earlier in the week. “You've got to train him like he's the favourite and that's what we've done.

“He jumps well, he stays well, and I can't make any predictions for that race, but I know he'll give the jockey a great spin.

“This has never been an afterthought that we would run him here, this has been his target, so hopefully we can eke out a bit of improvement and maybe get in the top 10.”