All eyes will be on AP McCoy as he bids for a dream end to his career but I have a strong feeling that a horse he could have ridden is going to come back to haunt him . The 19-time champion jockey could have ridden Cause of Causes who , like his mount Shutthefrontdoor , is owned by his boss JP McManus . He has ridden him three times before . While it was ultimately no surprise he chose Shutthefrontdoor , a runner with strong credentials , Cause of Causes also has very good reasons why he should be backed . Cause of Causes at Cheltenham last month . He was second at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival and then landed the four-mile National Hunt Chase at last month ’ s meeting . That marks him down as a quality performer , and he is ridden by a Grand National winning jockey in Paul Carberry ( Bobbyjo , 1999 ) and trained by a race-winning trainer in Gordon Elliott ( Silver Birch , 2007 ) . His four mile Cheltenham win indicates reserves of stamina for the four-and-a-half-mile , 30-fence test which I like to see in my Grand National hopes . Shutthefrontdoor , the 2014 Irish National winner , is also strong on that score . I like last year ’ s runner-up Balthazar King and 2014 Scottish National winner Al Co , as well as Godsmejudge , second in that race having won it in 2013 . For those looking for an each-way punt at more speculative odds , Royale Knight is a horse which has caught my eye . I will be cheering on my two sons . Tom rides Soll , another runner with a serious chance of a light weight , while Michael trains Monbeg Dude , last year ’ s seventh owned by a trio of rugby players including former England captain Mike Tindall . He could easily nick a place .
Royale Knight could have ridden Cause of Causes in the Grand National on Saturday . Champion jockey ultimately chose Shutthefrontdoor for big race at Aintree . AP McCoy is worth an each-way punt at more speculative odds .