TRAINER Dr Richard Newland believes Grand National sensation Pineau De Re has what it takes to win the famous race again in 2015.

The 11-year-old catapulted Newland’s Claines stables to national stardom when Leighton Aspell rode him to a 25-1 success at Aintree in April.

While Pineau De Re finished a disappointing 11th in his comeback at Cheltenham last month while carrying top weight, the signs are still promising for another strong challenge on Merseyside.

Newland’s charge is back in action at Carlisle on Sunday week and should appear at March’s Cheltenham Festival before returning to Aintree.

If he were victorious again over the four-mile-and-three-a-half-furlong course, Pineau De Re would be the first horse to win back-to-back Nationals since Red Rum in 1974.

Newland said: “You need a lot of luck in the race, so we need things to go his way, but I think he has the attributes to run another big race.

“He’s in great shape, we just need a nice, clear run with him with no injuries — because these horses can get injured very quickly — but at the moment we’re on track.

“It’s amazing to have won it but if we were able to do it again, he would become one of the all-time greats in National Hunt racing and that means a lot to me. I like the history of the sport. It would mean everything.”

The 51-year-old continued: “The National in those days (in 1974) was not as competitive as it is now.

“To do it now would be extremely difficult, however, I am the eternal optimist and I am optimistic about him because he’s a very classy horse.

“It was a good win last year and the form is solid so I think he has a chance.”

Newland has long since proved Pineau De Re’s success was no one-off with 26 runners to his name already this season, the latest being Ebony Express’ triumph at Carlisle on Sunday.

He has 12 horses in training at his Claines base with another six in pre-training elsewhere, including Royale Knight, another set to run in the National next year. Newland, who yesterday welcomed Aintree racecourse chairman Rose Paterson and the media for a tour of his stables, added: “We are doing well with a good strike-rate so everything has been going very smoothly.

“One thing I have noticed is that when you have a high-profile horse like Pineau De Re, you are a bit more under the microscope so you’re being scrutinised more.

“But we’re doing the same thing, trying to get winners and do the best we can with the horses we’ve got and keep looking out for new ones.

“It’s been a whirlwind year but it’s been an incredible experience and I’m just very lucky to have it so we’re trying to lap it up, embrace it and enjoy it.”