NINE furlongs are all that separates Vanessa Marston from a place in Grand National history.

Months of training comes to a culmination tomorrow for the 44-year-old dental practice manager from Helperby when she saddles up in the John Smith's Peoples Race at Aintree.

She is one of ten would-be jockeys who will compete in an actual race in front of a crowd of 70,000 - having seen off more than 3,500 rivals to clinch a spot.

But, now she's there, Vanessa isn't happy to just be along for the ride. She wants to win.

"Definitely, I want to win," she said. "That would be the icing on the cake."

A trip to Dubai and £50,000 for her chosen charity, The Injured Jockeys' Fund, would be her victory prize and, although Vanessa admits she was "gobsmacked" to have won through, she's now determined to make the best of the day.

The bookies think she has a chance as well. Having started at 14-1, Vanessa has now been punted down to the 5-1 second favourite - no doubt presumably due to her army of supporters who are planning a big Grand National day.

"There are two coach-loads from Yorkshire going down to Aintree so I will have a lot of supporters," Vanessa added. "I was really, really pleased to be selected in the final ten (14 remained going into the last selection process).

"They did the final cut like they do on the X-Factor and I was certain I wasn't in.

"They called us out in order and I was last, unfortunately. I was crestfallen. Then they told me I had made it. I feel a bit sad for the people who haven't got in but now I am really looking forward to it."

North Yorkshire trainer Mick Easterby is the man who has been schooling Vanessa in the ways of race riding from his stables in Sheriff Hutton.

Said Vanessa: "Mick has been excellent. He's a real character and everyone has been really helpful there.

"It has been hard work but I expected it to be quite tough. I am still riding out in the mornings and then there will be a bit of a break before the race itself."

Pickering telephone engineer Alan Lane is North Yorkshire's second participant in the race, having also come through the rigorous selection process.