Any day now the postman will deliver a package tied with blue and white ribbon to the Downs Stables at Findon.

It will be addressed to Brave Highlander and contain a box of Polo mints. The colours are those of the owners, Nick and Valda Embericos. The parcel has been sent to trainer Josh Gifford by an anonymous well-wisher for the last three years.

In charge of the parcel, and of 'Taggart' (named after TV's tough Scottish detective), is Jenny Ayles. The stable groom, 31, will make the journey north next Wednesday for the fourth time.

The plan is to put up at Haydock Park, 20 miles from Aintree, where the facilities for both horses and stable staff are excellent and the atmosphere is quieter, before going on to Liverpool for the big race on April 7.

She said: "Taggart knows what's up when he gets to Haydock. He becomes electrified and has to be led out in a bridle so that I can control him. At any other race meeting he's quiet as a lamb, but he seems to know this is his once-a-year day and behaves like a two-year old."

Brave Highlander, 13, has finished fourth and sixth in the £500,000 National in the last two years. In 1998, he was third seven fences from home when he was knocked for six by eventual winner Earth Summit.

Jenny said: "He galloped round the rest of the course, jumping several of the fences and, when I tried to catch him as the others pulled up, he gave a kick and a buck as he cantered by. He was as fresh as a daisy and who knows what might have happened if Earth Summit hadn't knocked him over."

Aintree has always been a special place for Gifford. As a jockey he had about 30 rides round the National course, failing to complete only three times. He did not win it, although Gifford was second on Honey End and twice fourth on Bassnet, but he did win the Topham Trophy race at Aintree twice to make up for it.

He said: "In some ways, Aintree gives me more of a buzz than Cheltenham. My dad could name every Grand National winner from 1900 and my brother Macer and I were brought up in an atmosphere of wonder for Aintree."

It was Macer, who died of motor neurone disease 17 years ago, who gave up the ride on Assad to his brother on Josh's last day as a jockey.

Gifford said: "Guy Harwood trained the horse up the road at Pulborough and he didn't object when Macer made what was a pretty generous gesture in giving me the ride. We finished seventh to Gay Trip in 1970 and two days later I became a trainer."

No one should forget that ten years into his training career Josh saddled Aldaniti to win the National for the Embericos. The horse was ridden by Bob Champion, the man who defied cancer, to make this triumphant comeback. In many ways, Brave Highlander is quite like Aldaniti in style. He has had his problems, but this year the preparation has been the best yet.

He has run well in several races without winning and worked impressively over seven furlongs uphill with big race jockey Philip Hide on Wednesday morning.

Brave Highlander jumped half-a-dozen fences with amateur David Dunsdon in the saddle the previous day and he is one horse who can benefit from all the recent rain.

Hide said: "He acts on good ground, but always finds one or two who go too fast for me.

"On the soft they find their speed blunted but my horse is quite happy on it and can go his own pace."

Hide's race plan is to be in the first dozen, towards the middle or outer, to avoid trouble before bidding to pick up the leaders going down to the Bechers Brook fence the second time.

Whatever happens Jenny Ayles will be keeping most of the Polo mints for after the race and she will be taking home a fourth Martell paddock sheet to join the other three that cover her sofa and armchairs at home.

Meanwhile, Montroe, trained by Richard Rowe at Storrington, may be joining Brave Highlander in an effort to bring the National trophy back to Sussex for the first time in 20 years.

Montroe's run in the National depends on 19 horses above him in the handicap defecting before next Friday. But with the Irish certain to be absentees, the horse should be in the line-up.

Rowe said: "He will be entered in the John Hughes Chase just in case he doesn't get into the National and Barry Fenton rides in whichever race he runs."