Grand National 2024: Cheltenham winner Shakem Up'Arry has two Aintree options

Former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp's Cheltenham Festival hero Shakem Up'Arry will have a first crack at the Randox Grand National fences at Aintree Racecourse – but whether it is in the big one or the Randox Topham Handicap Chase 24 hours earlier is not yet known.

The Ben Pauling-trained 10-year-old – who is named after a West Ham supporter who used to tell the former Hammers boss to 'Shakem Up'Arry' on matchdays – provided the former footballer and manager his first victory at the Cheltenham Festival when running out a fine winner of the TrustATrader Plate last week. It was a second victory at Prestbury Park this season following success on New Year's Day and connections are keen to head to Aintree next month with their charge in such good form.

Shakem Up'Arry holds entries in both the Grand National and the Topham. But he is currently 56th on the list of entries for the world's greatest steeplechase and not guaranteed to get in the race. Especially now that the Aintree showpiece will have only 34 runners lining up on April 13 instead of the traditional 40 following the changes set to be implemented for this year's renewal.

Latest entries and weights for the 2024 Grand National

Pauling said: "He's got an entry in the National and the Topham and he will run in one of them. A lot will depend on the next confirmation stage of the National when we will see where we are, but we don't have to make a decision until nearer the time and to be honest he's only going to be ticking over and pop over one or two fences in preparation. He's come out of Cheltenham really well and we're looking forward to Aintree with him."

Shakem Up'Arry has never won over further than an extended 2m4f he scored over at Cheltenham. Pauling,