text: Jockey Aidan Coleman is hoping he has received the call up for the ride that will finally help him banish his Crabbie's Grand National blues at Aintree on Saturday. The 26-year-old rides well-backed The Druids Nephew, stepping in for broken leg victim Barry Geraghty on the Neil Mulholland-trained gelding which won on the opening day of last month's Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old is a 12-1 shot for the £1million steeplechase but Coleman knows more than most how fickle fortune can be in the biggest steeplechase in the world. Jockey Aidan Coleman (left) exits the weighing room at Haydock racecourse back in April earlier this year . The Druids Nephew ridden by Barry Geraghty clears the last jump during Day One of Cheltenham 2015 . As a 20-year-old, Coleman chose to ride seventh fence faller Stan, a disappointment turned into a calamity at the time because he had decided against partnering successful Venetia Williams-trained stablemate Mon Mome who lifted the prize at 100-1 with stand-in rider Liam Treadwell basking in glory. It was the only time in three National runs for Mon Mome that Coleman had not ridden the gelding. Coleman's two latest rides in the race have seen him unseated from a hampered The Rainbow Hunter. Coleman said: 'The Mom Mome incident was quite a blow at the time because I had a choice (of mounts) and picked the wrong one. I rode him the year before and the year afterwards, I just wasn't on him on the right day but that is just the way it goes. 'Sometimes you are ahead and sometimes you are behind – that is life in general. 'At the time I was 20, very young in life as well as racing. It was probably the first negative thing to happen in my career. 'Up until then I had never been injured, I had ridden out my claim in 14 months and was champion conditional. Since then there have been lots of good days and lots of bad days, so you become more streetwise and thicker skinned. 'I didn't had the best of luck on The Rainbow Hunter. He jumped well both times but ran into traffic problems and was more of less brought down last year. 'There is an element of luck required in any race but that applies more with the National because of the nature of the fences and the distance.' Coleman, who has enjoyed success over the famous fences in other races, feels The Druids Nephew has the right credential given that slice of Aintree luck which has so far eluded him. The jockey who hopes to be a contender for champion jockey after AP McCoy retires, added: 'It is definitely one of the best rides to pick up. Phil Smith, the chief handicapper, says he is the best handicapped horse in the race. 'The race should suit this horse. He seems quite hardy. He handled the hustle and bustle of the Cheltenham Festival and came out a very nice winner. That should stand him in good stead as far as the Aintree experience goes.' Coleman in action at Haydock racecourse back in April earlier this year .
target: Jockey Aidan Coleman wants to right past wrongs at The Grand National .
  Coleman prepares to ride the well-backed The Druids Nephew .
  The eight-year-old is a 12-1 shot for the £1million steeplechase this year .
  Coleman rode the seventh fence faller Stan six years ago .
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