The Comply Or Die Story

Comply or Die, trained by David Pipe, the son Martin Pipe CBE; fifteen times champion

National Hunt trainer, and the most successful racehorse trainer in the United Kingdom; made his racecourse debut in a novices hurdle at Taunton, in October 2003.

He showed potential and was quickly moved up the gradings, and in March 2005 managed to finish second to Trabolgan in the Grade One Royal and Sunalliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He finished the 2004/05 season with a sixth placing in the Befred Gold Cup, and began the following season in fourth place in the Grade Three Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.

His season was cut short after a setback in the Coral Welsh National and it would be two years before he was put on a racecourse again.

Back at Cheltenham in October, 2007, Comply or Die lacked race fitness and only managed to finish in 16th place. He also disappointed on his next run when pulled up in a Grade Three Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on November 17.

It was the application of blinkers that produced a huge turnaround in Comply or Die, and he ran his best race up to that point, in the Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock in December, finishing second behind the Grand National favourite Cloudy Lane.

He proved that he definitely had the stamina necessary for the Grand National when he raced over a marathon extended four miles at the Eider Chase at Newcastle, winning by eight lengths, despite being burdened with top-weight.

In the 2008 Grand National he beat off a strong challenge from King John's Castle to take victory by four lengths, with Irish jockey Timmy Murphy riding the David Pipe-trained nine-year-old for his first Grand National win after 11 previous attempts.

He followed up in the 2009 Grand National with a second place behind Mon Mome. He came out of the race in good shape so it looks likely that owner David Johnson will see fit to put him the 2010 National where you could be looking at a two time winner.

Generally, winners of the Grand National are 9 or 10 years old and Comply or Die will be 10 for the 2010 Grand National, making him a very good age. He has always displayed incredible stamina and he can definitely run the distance - he's done it twice before without faltering.

Based on his two previous outings at Aintree and the fact that's he won and finished in second place he could be given one of the top weights making it incredibly difficult for him to achieve the same success again. He also hasn't run in a single race since the 2009 Grand National so he's either being groomed for the 2010 Grand National or he's showing poor form and being given a bit of a break, only time will tell.

There have been horses that have gone down in Grand National history for their repeat performances - think Red Rum and Hedgehunter - can Comply or Die reach those dizzy heights of success? He was joint favourite at 7/1 in 2008, and odds fell to 14/1 in 2009 but I expect short odds on him again this year - somewhere around 10/1 or less if the bookies have their way so he could be good for an each-way bet.

by: Gen Wright

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