The John Hughes Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow tomorrow will be a stepping stone in Supreme Glory's Martell Grand National preparations.

It will also be a positive step for Leighton Aspell, who will be on board the nine-year-old.

They won the Welsh National at Chepstow almost a year ago and both horse and rider are on the way up.

"Supreme Glory loves soft ground, stays forever and is a decent jumper," said Aspell of the Pat Murphy-trained chaser.

"He is fit enough and although he usually needs a race to be at his very best, I am hopeful with only ten stone, three pound."

Winning the Welsh National has been the highlight of 26-year-old Aspell's career so far.

He has ridden around 150 winners since coming from Ireland to join the master-teacher of young riders, Reg Hollinshead, in Staffordshire.

That was almost ten years ago and, from 100 rides, young Aspell rode nine winners in apprentice races before it became clear increasing weight would force him out of flat racing.

He said: "I wrote to all the top trainers to see if there was a vacancy for a conditional rider but only got two replies."

One of those came from Findon trainer Josh Gifford and soon Aspell was Sussex-bound.

Although he still lives in Findon, he is now freelance and Gifford has never regretted giving the young Irishman a chance, quickly noting he is a born horseman with a jockey's brain.

Gifford's loyalty to his young rider was made clear when Aspell was being harried by the police in the unfortunate Buffham affair a few years ago.

He said then: "If Leighton is guilty of anything crooked, I will give up training. There was no case against the jockey and Gifford is still in business!

Aspell's first jumping winner was, in fact, for neighbouring trainer Richard Rowe in 1995. His career has been on an upward curve ever since, leading to 42 winners last season.

Aspell said: "That was when I had six weeks off for injury, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping to do better this time."

Gifford, several times champion jump jockey after starting his racing life as a flat apprentice in Newmarket, encouraged Aspell to branch out as a freelance. The rider reserves Sunday for his former boss.

"We school a lot of horses on Sunday mornings and I still ride in races for him as well."

Aspell has a broad base of trainers who appreciate his skills. He often schools horses after racing for Richard Rowe. Jim Old, near Swindon, welcomes Aspell to ride out twice a week before racing begins.

Pat Murphy, of course, and Lucy Wadham, near Newmarket, are keen Aspell fans, the latter's small stable having the highest strike rate of any trainer last season.

Aspell said: "I go up with Colin Bolger to Albert Ennis' stable, near Dorking, pretty frequently as well and seem to spend an awful lot of my time in the car."

Mileage last season totalled 45,000 and he is well on the way to beating that this time.

Aspell gives due credit to his agent, ex-jockey Nicky Adams, who has steered the burgeoning careers of recent champion apprentices Lee Newman, Chris Catlin and promising young chase jockey Henry Oliver.

Aspell said: "I have been on Nicky's books for three years and so far this season I've had more than 200 rides, so he's doing a pretty good job for me."

Apart from Supreme Glory, Leighton picked out several horses that he is looking forward to riding.

At Jim Old's stable, Wayne Mountain and The Duck Pond are two for the notebook. Old has recently acquired a classy flat horse from Luca Cumani's Newmarket stable, named Extra.

Aspell said: "He hasn't jumped anything yet and he will start off in the loose school before I ride him over some poles, he could be something special."

Closer to home, Gifford's Telimar Prince is one of Aspell's favourites.

"I won on him at Newbury last month and he is going to Cheltenham for a major race next weekend, he is a decent horse."

On Wednesday, Aspell scored his 21st winner of the season on Lady Jeannie at Plumpton. The five-year-old had won over a mile on the flat and on heavy going at Plumpton, her stamina to last two miles over hurdles was in doubt.

She had never jumped a twig in public and Leighton had never sat on her back until trainer Mick Haynes gave him a leg-up in the parade ring.

No wonder Lady Jeannie was a 50-1 chance, overly generous considering Hayne's choice of jockey.

There will be plenty more winners for Leighton Aspell but if shrewd punters have their way, there won't be many at such long odds.