STAR PREVIEW Sat: Grand National 2022

Yesterday at Aintree finally brought some winners, with Langer Dan making good on his handicapping promise and Fakir D’oudaries landing the Melling Chase in great style. There was no luck in the Topham, although it was heart-warming to see James Bowen (jockey of our tip Fantastic Lady, unseated at the first), running back to cheer his brother Sean, who was in the process of bolting up. Now for the biggest day of them all!

Ground: Has quickened notably on the evidence of the time, and horses who want better ground have had the scaled tipped in their favour. Sulekha Varma and her team may well water to maintain conditions – the surface has played very fair so far.

The 2022 Randox Grand National Festival, Day 3
Aintree, Liverpool
Grand National Off Time: 5.15pm
Live on ITV 1 HD & ITV Hub from 2.00pm
Live on Racing TV from 10am

Grand National 2022:

The race we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! There’s a horse-by-horse guide to the Grand National at the link below, written by yours truly, and I am taking three against the field in the big race. Remember to take advantage of our brilliant offer this year, with ‘All Over The Place’ meaning that you can get up to £25 of your place stake back if your horse completes the course but finishes out of the first six, an offer which looks even more generous when one remembers that 19 horses completed in 2017 and 2019, and 15 last year.

There’s also an each/way extra offering meaning you can have seven places, and if your horse gets nailed in a tight finish – just ask backers of Sunnyhillboy in 2012 – then our Pipped offer applies.

Also, don’t forget our YES/NO competition, where you can win a £250 free bet simply by answering ten questions, with smaller amounts for those who get scores of eight or more!

GRAND NATIONAL: YES/NO Competition

The horse-by-horse guide is up ahead, and I’ve taken three against the field for the following reasons.

Any Second Now did extremely well to finish third last year considering his early blunder and then the massive hampering he survived when Double Shuffle fell in front of him, and he arrives here after a game win over Escaria Ten in the Bobbyjo Chase. He’s 7lbs higher but he could have lost at least seven lengths with his trip last year and he can go very close.

Longhouse Poet showed all the traits of a modern national winner when taking the Thyestes with a fine display, and whilst this is his first run over 3m1f, he’s always promised to get further, especially on a decent surface, and his game defeat of Run Wild Fred (with the subsequent Grand National Trial winner The Big Dog behind) reads well. He has a lot of class from his novice days – as a hurdler he was twice third in Grade 1 company – and he should have no problem holding an early position in this contest on all previous evidence. The fact Martin Brassil, who took this in 2006 with Numbersixvalverde and saddled Double Seven for third in 2014, is taking him here is a major signal and a big run could be coming.

Of the relative outsiders, Freewheelin Dylan could be the best bet. He had Run Wild Fred and Enjoy D’Allen behind when winning the Irish Grand National from the front last year and ran a remarkable race when once again going from the front at Punchestown just a month later off an 8lbs higher mark. He’s just 2lbs higher here and you can forget his run over hurdles when this was clearly the target, and it’s encouraging that he was still in touch when suffering an awkward unseat over Cheltenham’s cross-country course in November. Front runners and Irish National winners have an excellent record here and if he hits the same rhythm then he’s going to take plenty of passing.

There are many to be fearful of, with Enjoy D’Allen, Elcair Surf, Fiddlerontheroof, and Death Duty most respected, but few winners would surprise.

Rest of card:

The EFT Construction Handicap Hurdle (1.45) is a fiendishly competitive opener where two horses are taken against the field. All season Party Business has been crying out to go further and he did very well to take fifth in the Martin Pipe considering how badly hampered he was early. The form was let down yesterday, but three miles can definitely improve him and if he runs to form then he’s got some of the best form claims in the field.

Remastered has mainly been racing over fences but he started this season over hurdles at this course when running an excellent race in what was his warm up for the Ladbrokes Trophy, and he’s performed with credit over fences since. He can race here off an unchanged mark (13lbs lower than over fences), and he’ll probably be hard to pass in that form.

Three Stripe Life is a worthy favourite for the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (2.20) if he’s able to show his best after a long season, with his three Grade 1 seconds reading very well in this context. This is highly competitive however, with the extremely exciting Walking On Air and wide margin handicap winner Good Risk At All also major players.

North Lodge was just caught close home in the Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso (gave 5lbs to runner up Nells Son, who also runs here) and could still be improving whilst Stage Star would be a serious player if back to the form he showed when dominating the Challow Hurdle. Also of interest at a price is Might I, who was bumped into Constitution Hill and Jonbon the last twice and may improve for a step up in trip in a tight contest on paper where Colonel Mustard shouldn’t be far away.

If Edwardstone is able to back up his Arkle success in the Maghull (3.00), then he’s the standout horse here without question and he holds all his rivals on various formlines this season. He backed up an excellent third in the County hurdle with a sound fifth last season as a hurdler and he’s not a better horse as the season’s leading novice chaser with plenty in hand. Gentleman De Mee and a fresh third time lucky are the main dangers but he has shown more than both of them this season.

The brilliant riding of Danny Mullins made all the difference as Flooring Porter took a second Stayers’ Hurdle in fine style but there’s not much between him, Thyme Hill, and Champ on that evidence and the Liverpool hurdle might be a race to avoid here, with the pace of the race sure to have a big effect on the outcome, along with how Flooring Porter deals with a lively Liverpool crowd.

The claims of Shan Blue at his best are obvious but he’s a very short price for the Betway Handicap Chase and in a competitive race Christian Williams might have the answer in Cap Du Nord. He’d clearly been targeted at Kempton’s Coral Trophy (had been fifth last yar off 15lbs higher mark) but won it in style and saw the form get a boost when second and stablemate Kitty’s Light finished runner up in the Scottish Grand National. He’s been thrown up 8lbs for that success but was third to Scottish National winner Takingrisks and the high class Aye Right off a mark of 139 in January 2021 and he can go well.

There are lots of chances in the closing Bumper (6.20) and most contenders wouldn’t surprise as winners. Rath Gaul Boy, Ernest Gray, Leave Of Absence, Chianti Classico, and Shomen Uchi were all impressive last time out winners although it should be noted that Henri The Second beat Champion Bumper fifth Authorized Speed at Ascot in December, form that reads well now.

Houlanbatodechais was pitched into the Champion Bumper first time out and unfortunately had his bit slip, which means Rachael Blackmore couldn’t steer him. It’s notable that connections have sent him here for his second start, with Paul Townend taking the ride.

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RECOMMENDED BETS – Grand National
BACK Any Second Now 1pt each/way at 10/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Longhouse Poet 1pt each/way at 16/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Freewheelin Dylan 1pt each/way at 40/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

RECOMMENDED BETS – Grand National
BACK Party Business in EFT Construction Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm) 1pt win at 8/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

BACK Remasters in EFT Construction Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm) 1pt win at 8/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

BACK Edwardstone in Maghull Novices’ Chase (3.00pm) 3pts win at 4/6 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

BACK Cap Du Nord in Betway Handicap Chase (4.15pm) 1pt at 15/2 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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PROFIT/LOSS (APRIL 2022): LOSS -4.43 points
(Excluding ante-post recommendations CLICK HERE)

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