THE prospect of decent ground at Aintree for Saturday’s John Smith’s Grand National has convinced Imperial Commander’s owners to aim for gold.

Trainer Nigel Twiston- Davies’ 12-year-old, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2010, had the Betfred Bowl on Thursday as an alternative but the fact course officials have already started a watering programme means soft ground is very unlikely.

Injury has limited Imperial Commander to just one run since he broke down in defence of his Gold Cup in 2011.

Paul Costello, who manages the owning Our Friends In The North syndicate, said: ‘‘We’re 100 per cent going for the National now.

‘‘He’s in great shape and we schooled him over the National fences last week.

‘‘He’s telling us he wants to go for it, and that’s what we shall do.

‘‘We’ve had so many disappointments this season, we just wanted to take our time and make sure everyone was on the same page – there was no need to make the decision too soon and hopefully he’ll do us proud.

‘‘It would take a miracle for the ground not to be decent at the weekend so it’s all systems go.’’ Katie Walsh, who rides Seabass again for her father, Ted, after finishing third 12 months ago, has launched a staunch defence of the race.

The Aintree management has made several changes to this year’s race in an attempt to make it safer after it came under attack from animal welfare groups.

Walsh, 28, said: ‘‘Any changes that make it safer are a good thing, but I hope they leave it at this and don’t change anything else.

‘‘I hope to God there are no accidents this year, but these things happen, and they are horses at the end of the day.

‘‘I don’t mean that in a cruel way, but to see (fellow jockey) John Thomas McNamara get a horrible fall at Cheltenham... for the minute he’s gone from the neck down, and that’s a different deal altogether in my eyes.’’ Walsh said that those who criticise racing as a cruel sport do not understand it: ‘‘Anyone who gets up on Christmas Day and mucks out loves animals. Sure, it’s a dangerous sport. But every night, all over the world, a lot of horses are left out in fields starving.

‘‘These horses are so well looked after. Better than some children, to be honest.

‘‘I don’t read the criticism because it’s not worth it. And at the end of the day it would be a lot worse if it had been two jockeys who lost their lives. I think everyone should remember that.’’ Henry Daly’s Pearlysteps has just sneaked into the bottom of the weights but if the ground continues to dry up Daly may reroute him to Ascot a day later.

‘‘At the moment he is an intended runner in the race,’’ said Daly.

‘‘However, it depends on the ground, if it keeps on drying up he may head to Ascot on Sunday, so that’s why I’m being slightly tentative.

‘‘He likes it soft and on his second to According To Pete in the Peter Marsh last year, he’d have a squeak .’’