b g Lute Antique (FR) - Voltige De Nievre (FR) (Brezzo (FR))
A French-bred gelding and full-brother to fellow John Smith's Grand National contender L'Ami, Kelami originally raced for trainer Francois Doumen's Haras d'Ecouves, before he was transferred to the ownership of the late Queen Mother for his British debut when second in a juvenile hurdle at Newbury on December 19, 2001. Following the Queen Mother's death in March, 2002, he returned to the Doumens' ownership until being bought by John Halewood at the start of 2004. Kelami has appeared at the Cheltenham Festival three times. He was pulled up in the 2002 JCB Triumph Hurdle, fourth in the 2004 William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase, and successful in the same race in 2005. He has only won four times during a 47-race career, although he has run some good races in defeat, most notably when third in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock and the Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown in 2005. For the 2006/07 season, he began with a victory over hurdles at Compiegne, France, in October. He did not appear to be at his best for his next three outings, before returning to form when second to Rambling Minster in the Agfa Diamond Handicap Chase at Sandown in February. However, he failed to repeat that level of form when pulling up on his next start in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock Park but bounced back again with a good second in a Grade Two Chase at Auteuil in March. Kelami had his second attempt over the John Smith's Grand National fences in last year's contest, having been brought down at the first in 2004, and made it over 28 of the 30 fences before being pulled up. This season, Kelami has once again contested some of this country's top handicap chases, including valuable events at both Cheltenham and Sandown, without much success. His final start prior to Aintree did however produce an encouraging return to form with a staying on second behind Gungadu in the Grade Three Racing Post Chase at Kempton on February 23.
Race Record: Starts: 47; 1st: 4; 2nd: 8; 3rd: 10; Win & Place Prize Money: £280,523
| 
AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL 2008
