Cowell aims for Aintree windfall

Cowell will be cheering on two runners in Saturday's race

Pop Idol judge Simon Cowell will help raise £1 million for charity should one of two Grand National runners he has leased triumph in Saturday's big race.

Cowell and two leading businessmen will be owners of Le Duc and Le Roi Miguel for the day after winning an auction.

The temporary owners have placed a wager which will guarantee £1m for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children if one wins.

Owner Andy Stewart had originally offered Le Duc for the day.

But after Cowell, along with British Home Stores owner Philip Green and Marks and Spencer boss Stuart Rose, offered £400,000, he threw in his second National contender as well.

The money was donated to the children's charity after an auction at a party in St Petersburg, Russia, hosted by clothing millionaire Richard Caring.

And the stakes were raised even higher when bookmaker Fred Done accepted the offer from the trio for a £65,000 wager which will guarantee £1m if either of the two horses finishes first at Aintree.

Second place will reap £250,000, with £100,000 for a third place and £50,000 for fourth - with all winnings going to the NSPCC.

The best possible result for the charity is that the two Paul Nicholls-trained horses finish first and second, in which case the NSPCC would gain £1.25m in addition to the £400,000 already raised.

"Nobody can lose as far as this is concerned," said Stewart, who has also helped to raise a substantial amount for a second kids' charity, the Save The Children Fund.

Both horses will run in the green and white colours of Cowell, Green and Rose.