Let’s be fair, today is all about the Grand National but there are 7 other races on the card and we’re going to play in a couple of them before the big one.
1.45 Aintree
A 22 runner, 3 mile handicap hurdle which looks a tough puzzle to solve at first glance. The favourite is the Skelton trained No Hassle Hoff who has some excellent novice form in the book but the move to handicaps and a big field leave questions to answer.
Instead, I’m going to side with one of Philip Hobbs horses, No Comment. He is the mount of Barry Geraghty which is a positive in itself and this horse looks to have any amount of potential. He’s a winner of 3 of his 7 starts over hurdles and his record this season has been a progressive one. He won 3 on the spin around the turn of the year, all novice hurdles around 2 miles 4 furlongs and was noted ‘staying on well’ in a couple of those.
He then went to Cheltenham in the Martin Pipe Conditional Handicap off today’s mark of 137 and finished 7th of 23. He was held up out the back that day and made eyecatching headway coming down the hill and looked sure to be involved before fading on the run in. That was over 2 miles 4 furlongs and this race is over 3 miles so, on the face of it, there may be stamina doubts. However, I’m more in the camp of the ride he was given, especially at a specialist track like Cheltenham.
He has plenty of speed and will appreciate this easy track. There’s not many better than Geraghty to eke out the improvement needed to land this and in a race where quite a few have stiff looking marks, I feel he’s the one to give the favourite the most to do.
PLACED – Back No Comment (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 11.00 Ladbrokes BOG (¼ odds 1-4)
4.20 Aintree
The 3 mile stayers hurdle which sees disappointing Champion Hurdle favourite Yanworth at the head of the betting and former Stayers Hurdle winner Cole Harden his main rival according to the market.
The one I want to keep on side is Richard Johnson’s mount, Ballyoptic. He was very disappointing at Cheltenham and was pulled up after making one mistake too many but I actually think the key to this horse is a flat track. He’s twice gone to Cheltenham and failed to show his best but his form over hurdles previous to those 2 runs reads as 4 wins, 1 2nd and 2 falls. Included in that was a win in the novice hurdle here 12 months ago in front of Yorkhill.
Admittedly, his jumping is a concern but the likely price offsets that risk for me. He will surely appreciate the return to this track, will enjoy the good ground and should go close especially as there only seems to be 4 or 5 in with any real chance. A cracking each way bet.
Back Ballyoptic (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 Betfred BOG (¼ odds 1-3)
Bet here:
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