TRAINER Neil Mulholland thinks that the favour of Lady Luck will be the key determining factor in The Druids Nephew’s chances of snaring the most famous prize in jump racing tomorrow.

The nine-year-old, who is trained at Mulholland’s Conkwell Grange stables, near Winsley, will set off in the world’s most famous race – the £1 million Grand National – for the second time, looking to bring glory back to west Wiltshire.

Ahead of this weekend’s showpiece event at Aintree, Mulholland needs no reminding of the importance of good fortune, having watched The Druids Nephew, then ridden by Aidan Coleman, fall at the fifth-last fence after looking in fine fettle at the head of the pack.

Denis O’Regan, 34, who won the 2008 World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on Inglis Drever, has been handed the ride for the National, with the The Druids Nephew as short at 14/1 with some bookmakers.

But despite the hype surrounding Saturday’s glamorous race, Mulholland hasn’t been feeling any extra weight of expectation.

“I’ve been getting rides ready for Tuesday and we’ve got ones going (today), and across the whole festival, so we’ve been really busy and we haven’t done much differently to normal,” the Conkwell Grange trainer told the Wiltshire Times.

“But of course, everyone gets excited about the National.

“Last year was all about Cheltenham (Festival) for him (The Druids Nephew) but this year, it’s been all about Aintree.

“Denis knows the horse really well and he’s schooled him over Grand National fences a few times in the last 10 days. He’s been going very well “When you look at it, there are some very high-quality horses out there but it’s the same for everyone; it’s so important to have that bit of luck. Hopefully, we get that luck.”

Jockey O’Regan has come close in the National before, having finished as runner-up behind Sir Anthony McCoy on Don’t Push It in 2010 when riding Black Apalachi.

He told the Daily Mail this week: “When I sat on The Druids Nephew the other day, he was a totally different horse, and I mean a totally different horse.

“The ground will be important. He has a lot of speed. Last year, he was motoring when he fell. Neil is confident he has him in great form.

“I must have watched the replay of last year’s race 20 times. He was really operating.

“Finishing second on Black Apalachi was gut-wrenching. I’d love to make up for it.”

The race starts at 5.15pm tomorrow and is live on Channel Four.