STAR PREVIEW: The Grand National
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t was Michael Gove who came up with the quote “people in this country have had enough of experts” during the BREXIT Referendum.
And this is one so-called expert who tells you he is damn right……. at least in terms of the Grand National.
All the experts have bored us with how much easier the race has become, better horses running in it, more experienced jockeys etc etc etc.
So, if this was true the fancied horses would be winning every year, right? Wrong !!! Just check out the returns for just a FIVER staked over the last 10 years:
So, the bottom line is whatever you fancy – don’t let me or anyone else put you off. We saw another big priced winner over the National fences as recently as yesterday when Ultragold won the Topham at 50/1.
In keeping with the menu theme – I’m ordering three off today’s tantalising menu:
DEFINITLY RED
No awards for originality as the world and his wife seems keen to keep this one on side and it looks highly likely he’ll go off favourite.
That was probably inevitable given the ‘red’ in his name and the fact he was splashed on the front page of the Racing Post this morning.
But his chance is solid and amongst the better handicapped horses in the race. A winner of 10 of his 19 starts he slammed The Last Samuri (top weight today) by 14 lengths at Doncaster last time out in the Grimthorpe and showed no signs of stopping over the 3m 2f trip.
CAUSE OF CAUSES
Looks the pick of the Irish trained runners and of course the Emerald Isle won it last year with Rule The World. He’s as tough as they come (won at the Cheltenham Festival for three consecutive years) and proved he could handle the unique configuration here when finishing fourth to the ill-fated Many Clouds in 2015.
TENOR NIVERNAIS
At bigger odds he will do for me. Trained by Venetia Williams, Tenor arrives in good form and is another that is well handicapped. His stamina is a question mark but he likes to race prominently which is an Aintree angle I like and he can hopefully get into a nice rhythm.
If it all goes wrong just call Michael Gove and have a whinge about experts.
RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-100 points)
BACK DEFINITLY RED 4 points each way at SP with Star Sports
BACK CAUSE OF CAUSES 4 points each way at SP with Star Sports
BACK TENOR NIVERNAIS 4 points each way at SP with Star Sports
PROFIT/LOSS SINCE JAN 1 2017: -46.27 points