2016 Grand National

7mm of rain over night the going will be soft. I’ve bet big for me this year and have some at nice prices. Mullins doesn’t have the best record in this race but I think his veterans still have class and they all lovely racing weights.

I hope they place in the top 6 with Bet Victor.
I hope they don’t ride UNIONISTE to far out the back he needs to be in the mid field position. He loves soft ground and there won’t be many coming home stronger.

Grounds has gone against Holywell although I does act on soft his chances of running a big race has been reduced.

Sir de champ 40-1ew

Holywell 40-1 33-1 20-1 16-1 all ew

Boston Bob 40-1

UNIONISTE 40-1 33-1

Own his own 66-1

Lump and pray

I’ve got fancy prices about Holywell (win only) but I’d have been happier without the rain. Have backed Gallant Oscar at 18/1 and Many Clouds at 10/1. Any of these three will obviously do nicely but Holywell would be my biggest ever win so am hoping for the best.

Elsewhere on the card I took 14/1 about Squoautour, happy to see the support for him as his pre-Cheltenham form looks red hot.

I had a short list of 6 overnight,with the overnight rain my selection will be Gallant Oscar.Good luck everyone with your bets.

Not quite sure this is going to be my National. Bishops Road missed by one yesterday
and to add insult to injury the horse that has pulled out, too late for him, O’Faolains
Boy, was one of my original four.

I’m left with 2, HOLYWELL who I fancy a great deal but as Tommy (THM) said, we could have
done without the rain. My other is Buywise who I see Paul Maloney says that good ground
“is a must”. Far be it from me to disagree with the man on my horse, but Buywise has won
6 races, 3 on heavy, 1 on soft and 2 on good. He obviously knows best, he must be best on
better ground now, but I think he will handle it, it’s just whether he handles the fences.
I’m not without hope.

I’ve decided to see what sticks out at the high end of the odds market, and I think LE REVE
is worth a squeak at 66/1. He won well at Sandown g/s in February beating Pete The Feat and
probably had to go too hard to stay with Theatre Guide, giving him 10lbs, in the Betbright at
Kempton and tired after the 3rd last into 5th. Theatre Guide was raised 11 lbs for that, so
it wasn’t a bad race. He’ll manage soft and he’s used to humping top weights around so 10-8
will feel a bonus to him and hopefully help. He’s never gone over these fences, so that’s
a risk, but if he does take to them he’s not a no-hoper and worth a shot at 66/1.

Good luck all

With O Faolins boy a non runner, Trevor Whelan has been kicked off the romford pele and Brian Hughes now rides. Have to say I’m a bit disappointed in Rebecca, Trevor has won a fair few races for her recently and helped get her out of the doldrums, yet Brian Hughes gets the preferential treatment? Trevor must be gutted, as he is a top class jockey that just doesn’t get the opportunities or the credit he deserves.

Main antepost bet was Ballycasey – ground’s not ideal but it has been nibbled into 50s this a.m.

So Bet365 offered what is essentially the place part of ew as a free bet (good offer in my view) so today I’ve bunged a few quid ew at Unioniste, Morning Assembly and Home Farm.

Edit: Given the referendum, would a win for Unioniste be considered topical?

thewexfordman wrote:

With O Faolins boy a non runner, Trevor Whelan has been kicked off the romford pele and Brian Hughes now rides. Have to say I’m a bit disappointed in Rebecca, Trevor has won a fair few races for her recently and helped get her out of the doldrums, yet Brian Hughes gets the preferential treatment? Trevor must be gutted, as he is a top class jockey that just doesn’t get the opportunities or the credit he deserves.

Trevor Whelan is not a “top class jockey” TWM, he was probably only offered the ride with the proviso that if OFB does not run Brian Hughes rides TRP.

And the fickle finger of fate dictates he rides after all