Picking a winner out of a horse race with 40 runners is always going to be a daunting task. Add on the infamous fences of The Randox Health Grand National, the gruelling 4 miles and 2 furlongs and you have a betting scenario that ultimately requires multiple selections. Picking one horse is easy on the wallet but it could all end within 20 seconds of the flag being raised! Therefore, we have picked out 5 horses from across the handicap to hopefully prolong the entertainment factor and increase your chances of boasting to your workmates come Monday morning. Everybody loves a big outsider so this is a good place to start: let’s kick off with our best bet for 100/1 to stay the course!
The Aintree Grand National is a fun filled betting headache!
COCKTAILS AT DAWN
This Nicky Henderson trained 8 year old will no doubt be one of those fancied by name alone! However, the big problem here is recent form, which is pretty poor. Pulled up, fell, 4th out of 5, pulled up and fell in his last five outings hardly inspires confidence! Having said that, he did run a couple of very decent races 2 years back at Sandown and Chepstow, the latter being a listed novice event where he beat 2016 RSA Chase winner Blaklion and Colin Tizzard superstar Native River. Clearly, there is some ability there. If anybody can bring a horse back to the fore, Nicky Henderson certainly can. He has slid right down the handicap and will be running at his lowest ever mark of 145 (10-8). Definitely worth some small change at 100/1 best with Paddy Power who are also offering 6 places at 1/5 odds.
Cocktails At Dawn will be popular with the name hunters and is our choice for 100/1 hope!
BLESS THE WINGS
County Meath trainer Gordon Elliot had a superb Cheltenham Festival and he has several entries including Bless The Wings who ran a brave race in the Cross Country to finish second to his stable mate Cause Of Causes who will also run in the National but on 8ib worse terms with Bless The Wings. Bless The Wings is currently 42nd in the handicap so will need two more drop-outs in order to participate. Has to be a worthy each way consideration at 50/1 best with bet365 (5 places ¼ odds) and Sky Bet (5 places ¼ odds).
SAPHIR DU RHEU
After an indifferent season 2015/2016, Paul Nicholls’ talented little grey has finally bounced back with some decent performances this season most notably his last outing in The Gold Cup where he stayed enthusiastically and jumped well to finish a very creditable 5th behind Sizing John and Native River. It will be his first experience of the Aintree fences which of course is always a worry. Nevertheless, if jockey Sam Twiston-Davies can get him into a rhythm like what he showed at Cheltenham then he has every chance. For me he is the form horse in the race. Best odds of 20/1 are available at bet365, William Hill, Stan James, Ladbrokes and Coral.
Saphir Du Rheu bounced back to form with an impressive 5th in The Cheltenham Gold Cup.
UCELLO CONTI
Ucello Conti is another Gordon Elliot entry and he certainly knows his way around the Aintree course having completed twice including last year’s Grand National where he finished 6th behind Rock The World. He is fairly well treated at the weights and has had a decent enough season. My only concern is his lack of wins but he certainly makes up for this with consistency. He is a good proposition to get round the course so definitely head to one of the firms offering decent each way place deals. The best on offer is bet365 with 20/1 and 5 places at ¼ odds.
VIEUX LION ROUGE
This David Pipe trained 8 year old has come on leaps and bounds this season, scoring impressively in his only 2 runs including the Betfair Grand National Trial at Haydock and more crucially over the Aintree fences where he won the Becher Handicap Chase last December. He did get round the Grand National last season finishing 7th but he has clearly improved since then. He’s still ahead of the handicapper and running in this under 11 stone makes him a live choice for a hefty win bet. If he avoids trouble and puts in a solid round of jumping he will almost certainly be at the business end. Lively ground will not worry him as he has won on this type of going in the past. Not a great deal of value for this well fancied stayer and that’s not surprising. Probably best to hunt around for value on the day but can be grabbed presently at 11/1 best with Sky Bet or William Hill.
Vieux Lion Rouge seen here at this season’s Betfred Becher Chase over the Aintree fences.
Good luck with The Grand National!
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