THE Big One is tomorrow, the Grand National, postponed for 25 minutes to avoid the timing of the re-arranged royal wedding. The lucky name brigade might go for Royal Auclair, Clan Royal or, perhaps, It Takes Time.

Now that the ground looks likely to be soft, if not testing, Graham Lee fears that it may not suit last year's winner, Amberleigh House. His mind was made up for him as to which to ride, this or Grey Abbey, when trainer Howard Johnson chose instead to run the front-runner at Aintree yesterday as the grey jumped the practice National fences badly last week.

Many are rooting for Carrie Ford to be the first woman to win on Forest Gunner and certainly he will enjoy the ground. But our thoughts are to stick with Ballybough Rasher who has a good record at the course.

Johnson and Lee won at Sedgefield with Blairgowrie, so looked set for a good Aintree meeting. Best of all at the County Durham course, though, was popular permit holder John Wade, whose double caused him to book a Spanish holiday for all his staff. Others scoring were Tim Easterby, Peter Niven and Kate Walton.

As the Flat season hots up, the Doncaster meeting started well last Thursday for our team as Lynda Ramsden took the apprentice race opener, young Daniel Tudhope partnering Greenwich Meantime. Mark Johnston and David Nicholls have both made running starts to the summer.

For the former, Kevin Darley partnered the maiden winner Tarraman, who ran very green and will go on to better. The Nicholls father and son team took the six-furlong event with Merlin's Dancer, Adrian riding his usual polished race.

Tom Tate took Friday's opener, a marathon two miles two furlongs, with Dr Sharp, while another trainer better known for jumps success, Richard Guest, took the shortest on the card, the 5f sprint, with Garlogs.

On Saturday, Guesty was on more familiar ground, winning a valuable novice chase with Caribbean Cove at Newbury, and on Sunday, Admiral, owned like Garlogs by Willie McKay, was successful at Market Rasen and was due out again yesterday at Aintree.

Saturday and Lincoln day at Donny we were not so fortunate. However, Yorkshire owner-breeder Guy Reed took the Cammidge Trophy with his La Cucaracha.

James Bethell's Mine was a close-up seventh in the Lincoln and Mark Johnston sent out Leo's Lucky Star in the mile conditions stakes as a hot favourite under Joe Fanning, but "we wuz robbed" when Richard Hannon's Solent came past on the line to win, with Middleham's hopes in second. Darley was on Starchy, the favourite in the 7f race later, but was only third. Both these will win later.

Others to watch this term are the four behind the winner in the two-year-old maiden race, The History Man (Mick Easterby), Shaydreambeliever (Richard Fahey), Ooh Ahh Camara (Vicky Haign) and Ryedale Ovation (Tim Easterby).

Namir (David Barron, second) and Rio Riva (dead heat third) in the three-year-old maiden race are also notebook entries.

Johnston had compensation at Kempton where Market Trend, Royston Ffrench up, landed the nine-furlong event. Winged D'Argent on Wednesday easily landed a Listed race over a mile and six, Darley up on Daniel Couper's homebred son of In The Wings.

Darryll Holland gave Linda Stubbs a first winner for some three months with Ace Baby at Nottingham and Keith Reveley, who has been in top jumps form, got off the mark on the level with Junkanoo.

Robert Winston is in flying form still and at Catterick starred with a treble, including partnering Far Pavilions to win for Alan Swinbank and Royal Flush at 25-1 for Michael Dods, who also took the opener with Spring Breeze, partnered by Philip Makin, leading apprentice at the Yorkshire course last year. Karl Burke was on the mark with Ashes.

The Hambleton hill lads, Bryan Smart and Kevin Ryan, were both in good all-weather form on Monday, the former winning at both Southwell and Wolverhampton, the latter scoring at the second. David Chapman also won at Southwell with Gem Bien.

We wish well to Neil Etherington, newly-appointed and first chief executive at Redcar racecourse.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Doncaster: Greenwich Meantime (trained by L Ramsden, at Sandhutton; owned by J Martin), ridden by D Tudhope (claiming 3lb apprentice allowance); Tarraman (M Johnston, Middleham; Abdullah Saeed Belhab), K Darley; Merlin's Dancer (D Nicholls, Sessay; Chalfont Foodhalls Ltd), A Nicholls.

Fri. - Doncaster: Dr Sharp (T Tate, Tadcaster; The Ivy Syndicate), R Winston; Garlogs (R Guest, Brancepeth; W McKay), J Egan.

Sat. - Kempton: Market Trend (M Johnston; M Al Maktoum), R Ffrench.

Newbury NH: Caribbean Cove (R Guest; P Beck), S Fox.

Sun. - Kelso NH: Hidden Bounty (K Reveley, Lingdale; M Foxton), J Crowley; Rosie Redman (J Turner, Norton le Clay; Hb (homebred by owner or connection) Miss S Turner), D O'Meara.

Market Rasen: Admiral (R Guest; W McKay), H Oliver; Mister Friday (Mrs C Mulhall, Scarcroft; J Rea), Mr C Mulhall (3).

Mon. - Southwell AW: Gem Bien (D Chapman, Stillington; J Chapman), T Eaves (3); Vademecum (B Smart, Hambleton; Ekos Pinnacle Partnership), D McGaffin.

Wolverhampton AW: Louisiade (K Ryan, Hambleton; Whitestonecliffe Racing Partnership), N Callan; Bonne De Fleur (B Smart; Hb, Mrs N Jefford), F Lynch.

Tue. - Southwell AW: Cayman Calypso (M Jefferson, Norton; T Poyle), A Mullen (3); Soto (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Hb, D Sugars & B Parker), P Mulrennan (3); Air Of Esteem (I Emmerson, Holmside; trainer), M Lowson (5); Foxies Future (J Weymes, Coverham; Dandyjack Racing), P Mulrennan (3); Torrent (D Chapman; trainer), T Culhane.

Sedgefield NH: Tribal Dispute (T Easterby, Great Habton; Mrs J Pallister), R Garritty; Blairgowrie (H Johnson, Billy Row; Transcend Bloodstock Ltd), G Lee; Count The Cost (J Wade, Mordon; permit holder), P Buchanan (3); Wilful Lord (J Wade), K Johnson; Talarive (P Niven, Barton le Street; I Dalgleish), J Crowley; Sickasso (K Walton, Middleham; Stableline.com), C Sharkey (7).

Wed. - Nottingham: Ace Baby (L Stubbs, Malton; D Thurlby), D Holland; Junkanoo (K Reveley; Reveley Farms), D Mernagh; Winged D'Argent (M Johnston; Hb, D Couper), K Darley.

Catterick: Spring Breeze (M Dods, Denton; Sheridan Fabrications Ltd), P Makin (3); Ashes (K Burke, Wensley; Bryce, Dower, Morgan), P Hanagan; Far Pavilions (A Swinbank, Melsonby; J Abell), R Winston; Royal Flush (M Dods; J Wynn-Williams), R Winston.