Silence out to boost National claims

SKELTON'S NINE-YEAR-OLD FAVOURITE FOR HAYDOCK TRIAL

- By CHRIS WRIGHT Racing Reporter

DAN Skelton is hoping Deafening Silence can bring a trip to Aintree closer with victory in Saturday's William Hill Half A Mill Grand National Trial at Haydock Park.

The nine-year-old is the 11-4 favourite for the feature at the Merseyside track after he was among the 12 entries at yesterday's five-day declaration stage.

Deafening Silence is also one of the 78 entries for the 2026 Randox Grand National - the weights for which will be unveiled at the traditional lunch at St George’s Hall in Liverpool city centre next Tuesday.

Although he is a 50-1 outsider with some bookmakers in the ante-post market for the showpiece at Aintree Racecourse, victory at Haydock would boost his chances of making the cut on April 11.

The gelded son of Alkaadhem’s current handicap rating is 133 following two placed efforts so far this season, including when second in the BetMGM Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on his seasonal return.

Deafening Silence then finished third in the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow over Christmas behind another Grand National entrant - Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs, who will head to the Cheltenham Festival first for a crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.