THE world’s greatest jump racing prize could be heading to west Wiltshire if The Druids Nephew can continue his scorching rise through the ranks.

The well-backed eight-year-old, who is trained at Neil Mulholland’s Conkwell Grange stables, near Winsley, is considered fourth-favourite for Saturday’s £1 million Crabbie’s Grand National by most bookmakers.

The Druids Nephew earned Mulholland his first-ever victory at the Cheltenham Festival last month by winning the Grade Three Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase and the 34-year-old former jockey believes that his gelding could be one to watch at Aintree.

Mulholland is maintaining his confidence despite seeing jockey Aidan Coleman replace 2003 National-winner Barry Geraghty, who guided The Druids Nephew to success at Cheltenham before breaking his leg in a fall at Downpatrick shortly after the Festival.

“He’s a great horse and he’s been schooled well. He’s schooled over the Grand National fences and we’re excited to see him in it,” Mulholland told the Wiltshire Times this week.

“He can jump and he can gallop. He’s a good jumper and he’s got a great cruise-speed too.

“Cheltenham was our Olympics or our World Cup final.

“He’s won there and ticked that box and now this (the Grand National) is the next thing for us.

“It’s the hardest race in the world but we’re excited.

“Obviously, we lost Barry because of his broken leg but in Aidan, we’ve got another world-class rider.”

Coleman rode in the 2008 National at the age of 19 and a year later, the Irishman infamously turned down the opportunity to ride eventual winner Mon Mome, who was a 100-1 outside shot, in favour of a stablemate.

But the 26-year-old is hoping that Lady Luck has pulled off a drastic turnaround in his direction after he picked up The Druids Nephew, who has been priced as low as 12-1 by some bookies for Saturday’s race.

“It is definitely one of the best rides to pick up. Phil Smith, the chief handicapper, says he is the best handicapped horse in the race,” Coleman said this week.

“The race should suit this horse. He seems quite hardy.

“He handled the hustle and bustle of the Cheltenham Festival and came out a very nice winner.

“That should stand him in good stead as far as the Aintree experience goes.”

Tomorrow’s race takes place at 4.15pm at Aintree and will be televised on Channel Four.

l Wiltshire has a stake in the world's greatest steeplechase: See story on Page 3