DENMAN’S possible participation in the Grand National might be great news for racing, but I’ll bet there’s a fair few trainers who privately aren’t that chuffed about the prospect.

Paul Nicholls’ wonder horse would have a lofty rating around the 180 mark – guaranteeing the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner the top weight of 11st 10lb, should he line up.

But with the minimum National weight standing at 10 stone, there are an awful lot of runners who would be severely out of the handicap if Denman takes to the Aintree fences.

One of those is Character Building, Norton trainer John Quinn’s promising chaser.

If the National were today, Character Building would have to lug around more than a stone than he would otherwise if Denman wasn’t in the field.

And that would be a blow for Quinn, who has a serious National contender on his hands.

The Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock is next up for the nine-year-old, who was third at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and has posted a string of impressive performances.

That includes a third in last year’s Hennessy Gold Cup – a race ironically won by Denman.

On current ratings, Character Building is around 40lbs below his rival on official figures and, good horse or not, he will be at a huge disadvantage.

Quinn admitted as much to Tom O’Ryan in the Gazette and Herald this week, saying: “It’ll completely snooker the handicap for most of the rest of us.

“There will probably be only three or four runners in the handicap proper, and the rest of the horses will be at a disadvantage.”

A lot will depend, of course, on whether Denman – who hasn’t been seen on the course since his Gold Cup victory in March – actually does go to the National.

My feeling is that, despite the hype, he won’t. He will have to exert simply too much in retaining his Cheltenham title – should things go to plan in the Aon Chase at Sandown – and his owners won’t take the risk.