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Narrowed it down to five:
On His Own 11/1
Vesper Bell 14/1
Wyck Hill 14/1
Bennys Mist 22/1
Storm Survivor 25/1Combined odds of between 9/4 and 5/2
Exacta?
Value Is EverythingI really like On His Own, but backed him in the previous two Nationals and the fact he didn’t get round is worrying, so I’ve gone for one who has got round before in
Join Together
. Not been in the best of form since finishing a close second here last year but a return to Aintree could revitalise him!
A big field but there seems to be plenty of chaff and very little wheat. It would be hard to be confident about anything here and only a fun punt for me anyway.
I had On His Own at 25/1 ante post for this year’s National and I had my fear realised when he clearly got tired before falling. I wouldn’t really worry about his jumping as he coped well enough before stamina became the factor that led most to his demise.
I know that Hello Bud was a pensioner when winning last year but I can’t have Baby Run this time after a long lay off and a similar twilight profile to the admirable Bud.
Vesper Bell looks a future Grand National candidate but his form seems to be on heavy and only one 7 year old has won in the last 10 years. However, he looks a rare candidate in this field with the potential to improve and as long as he doesn’t get too far behind he should be staying on to some effect and is my idea of a horse who could make a name for himself in one of the Nationals.
Vesper Bell 5pts each way
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Don’t let a long layoff worry you about Baby, Twisters is a master at bringing them back cherry ripe after such an absence.
Don’t let a long layoff worry you about Baby, Twisters is a master at bringing them back cherry ripe after such an absence.
Unlucky Rich, great shout though.
Thanks guys, Got ew on 20/1 so not too shabby, winnings was the last thing on my mind though going over the last, great run from the old boy. Hats off to Chance Du Roy though, he seems to like running at Aintree.
Very game effort from Baby Run. My horse was absolutely cruising when falling at the first!! I’ll keep an eye on him for later though. He is entered in the Welsh National and is 16/1 at the moment. That doesn’t look any value but if I can get 20/1 nearer the time I would play.
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Rose Of The Moon for me at the moment.
Would need it to be a bog to win.
Despite two wins of four coming on Good To Soft ?
Bit miffed by how he was ridden. A front runner out the back the entire race and never really in it.`
Think he prefers a much softer surface, as is the case of his close relation Abbeybraney. First try over these fences always difficult too.
Would take On His Own, Mr Moonshine and Wyck Hill out of the race as potentials for next year (and CDR obviously).
Am I late?
Was away for the weekend but managed to see the Becher, and the opening section of VTC’s fine starting post in this thread really strikes home – the softening of the fences.
Aintree had no choice if the National was to survive, but jumping matters less now on the GN course than it does on any other Grade 1 track (and quite a few of the others).
The jocks will get wiser to it with each race and so will the horses. They can afford to hit these fences pretty low down with no penalty. In fact. that’s probably the way to ride the track now. I suspect more falls will come from those trying to showjump on a steep trajectory.
The other prerequisite, stamina, might also lose its importance in the National, stupid as that sounds. It used to be ridden as two races back in the ’60s and ’70s – they’d hunt them round for two miles then start racing. Some jocks will revert to that and let the others burn themselves out at breakneck speed over jumpable fences.
Those hacking along behind will no longer have to worry about fallen horses everywhere blocking their paths. They’ll just steadily pick their way through the pulled-ups.
The 2014 National will be a fascinating tactical race. The spectacle has pretty much gone, but the race survives, no longer as a betting medium for me, but I’m happy to live with that.
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