Dobbin, pictured in happier times, got a late call-up for Longshanks

The Northern Irish rider was thought to have broken his right arm when he was kicked after being brought down on Cloudy Lane in the Irish National.

But Longshanks' trainer Kim Bailey said: "Tony has been passed fit and he will be riding at Aintree on Thursday."

Dobbin won the famous 'Bomb Scare' Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997.

Bailey picked Dobbin for Longshanks after regular rider Jason Maguire was claimed for Idle Talk.

Tony says he is hoping to ride on Thursday so he is anticipating no problems Tony Dobbin's agent Richard Hale

Dobbin was taken to Blanchardstown Hospital for assessment after Monday's fall and was diagnosed with badly bruised soft tissue damage.

His agent Richard Hale said on Monday evening that it would be a race against time to be fit for the three-day Aintree meeting, which starts on Thursday.

But Hale said on Tuesday that the arm had improved "quite a lot" overnight.

"Tony says he is hoping to ride on Thursday so he is anticipating no problems," he said.

"His arm is not too bad this morning and he is hoping to ride out tomorrow morning."

Dobbin triumphed in the 1997 Grand National, which was postponed for 48 hours to a Monday after a bomb scare meant the Aintree course had to be evacuated.

At Fairyhouse, the jockey had been on board Cloudy Lane, owned by Trevor Hemmings, for trainer Donald McCain, the son of Red Rum's trainer Ginger McCain.

Mick Meagher, racing manager for Hemmings, said: "Tony Dobbin was knocked off Cloudy Lane when another horse fell three out."