Best Friends Riding Against Each Other.

Two best friends will race each other in the Grand National on Saturday, both hoping to become the first woman to win the race.

Two months ago Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh were lined up at the altar as bride and bridesmaid.On Saturday the best friends will be side by side again – at the starting line of the Grand National, where both hope to become the first woman to win.Like every National rider they will have to beat the rest of the field of 40 and the infamous hazards of Beechers Brook and the Chair.But they will also have to beat their own families: Miss Carberry's brother Paul is racing, and so is her brother-in-law Ruby – who is Miss Walsh's brother.The tangle of family connections is hardly surprising, as the two represent racing royalty, with a series of National winners already in the family.

Miss Carberry's father Tommy ended Red Rum's hopes of a third successive National win when he was victorious on L'Escargot in 1975, and her brother Paul won in 1999 on Bobbyjo – a horse trained by their father.Miss Walsh's brother Ruby won the National in 2000 on Papillon, a horse trained by their father Ted, and again in 2005 on Hedgehunter.And in February, the two great Irish racing families were united when Miss Carberry married Ted Walsh Jnr – Katie and Ruby's brother, at a ceremony in Rathoath, County Meath. Miss Walsh was bridesmaid and Ruby Walsh was best man.When the Carberrys and the Walshes are under starter's orders, it will be the first time four such closely related jockeys have lined up at Aintree,

Other families might be concerned at the potential for divided loyalties, with a £1 million prize and the honour of either 27 year-old being the first ever female winner at stake, but the Carberrys and the Walshes, appear more relaxed.Miss Carberry's mother Pamela, said: "It's a very open race, you can't get your hopes up – but you never know. I am proud of them both. It's great for them to get this far, for them to get the opportunity."Bookmakers are favouring Seabass, the horse which looks likely to be ridden by Miss Walsh and which is currently at 16/1.