The Grand National 14/4

[afc007]

Horse Racing: The Grand National 14/4


Over 600 million people will watch the Grand National on Saturday and many of those will have a once a year flutter. With 40 runners and riders charging at 30 fences over four and a half miles, it can be difficult to pick a winner so here is our guide to the Aintree field:



1 SYNCHRONISED: This year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner with champ jockey Tony McCoy on board (pictured) will probably go off favourite. Top weight will probably anchor his bid but not an impossible task as some would think. Will get the trip.

2 BALLABRIGGS: The defending champion has nine pounds more to carry on his back. Only one prep run. Last year's field does not match up to Saturday's renewal. So more to do but cannot be ruled out.

3 WEIRD AL: Looks the second stable string to Donald McCain's BallaBriggs. Bled from the nose as was pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Can't believe the Grand National was the plan before the season.

4 NEPTUNE COLLONGES: At the grand old age of 11, this doughty grey has enjoyed a revival this year but unless we get more rain than forecast I fear he will struggle to keep up with the pace.

5 CALGARY BAY: Stellar year for Henrietta Knight's charge but only got as far as the fourth fence last year when a faller. Missed Cheltenham for a National bid but the trip is a question mark.

6 ALFA BEAT: Not an ideal preparation for the Irish raider but a live outsider who will relish conditions. May still have some improvement in him.

7 PLANET OF SOUND: Consistent performer at the highest level who is short of being top class but couldn't say he is on the decline and may surprise if he takes to the course.

8 BLACK APALACHI: Second in 2010 but off the track since then until late February when he posted a decent comeback run. Surely asking too much at the age of 13 to go one better in the big race.

9 DEEP PURPLE: A similar profile to Planet of Sound in that he is hardly past it despite being aged 11 but it needs taking on trust that he will last home.

10 JUNIOR: A personal favourite of mine who has been aimed at the National ever since triumphing at the Cheltenham Festival last season. Will be up at the front throughout and will be tough to pass if he remains in contention at the end.

11 CHICAGO GREY: Shrewd trainer Gordon Elliott has kept this one up his sleeve for the race. Trip and ground will suit. A definite contender.

12 TATENEN: Could give him a squeak if this was run at Ascot but it isn't and I can't see him lasting home.

13 SEABASS: Will be a thrilling ride for Katy Walsh, sister of top jockey Ruby, as will go to the front in a bid to chalk up seven straight wins. Hard to know how good he is but ground conditions may not be soft enough.

14 SHAKALAKABOOMBOOM: Guided by the top team of trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Barry Geraghty. Closely matched with Calgary Bay on form this year. Will love the likely good ground. Big chance.

15 WEST END ROCKER: Brought down in last year's National. Popular with punters this week but that was because of heavy rainfall over the weekend. That has dried up now and I fear so has this gelding's chances.

16 ACCORDING TO PETE: Another one who needs the word soft in the going conditions to make an impact.

17 ON HIS OWN: Ruby Walsh had the choice of this horse and the in-form Seabass. Looks a bit inexperienced for the rough and tumble of Aintree but the jockey is a canny judge.

18 ALWAYS RIGHT: Ran well in last year's Scottish National but his last two runs have been stinkers. Needs a return to form to figure.

19 CAPPA BLEU: Not hard to see why he has been popular with punters, being on a decent handicap mark. Jockey Paul Moloney gets off perennial National favourite State of Play to ride this.

20 RARE BOB: On all known form lines is behind many of these on the book. Hard to see why he would turn the tables on any of them unless the trip brings out improvement.

21 ORGANISEDCONFUSION: Irish trainer Arthur Moore knows the time of the day and has kept this one on a winnable mark after last year's Irish National triumph. Best chance of a woman jockey winning yet with Nina Carberry on board.

22 TREACLE: Not the stickiest of choices. Closely matched with a lot of the best Irish raiders.

23 THE MIDNIGHT CLUB: Well fancied last year but an early mistake knocked the stuffing out of him. Hard to fathom his indifferent form this term and Ruby Walsh has deserted him.

24 MON MOME: The 2009 shock winner. Would be an even bigger surprise if he won again. Looks well past his best.

25 ARBOR SUPREME: Hasn't made it around in his last two attempts and was tailed off at the time last year.

26 SUNNYHILLBOY: Will sit at the back of the field and then cruise his way through backmarkers. The key will be judging the pace right as he might fall too far behind early on.

27 KILLYGLEN: Well handicapped. Carrying less weight than last year when was still in with a good chance when he fell four out.

28 QUISCOVER FONTAINE: Classed as an outsider but not that far behind Organisedconfusion and Sunnyhillboy in last year's Irish Grand National. The market may have his chances wrong.

29 THARAWAAT: Needs a quagmire and has gone off the boil as the season has gone on.

30 BECAUSEICOULDNTSEE: Add this one to the mix in what is probably the most open National in years and definitely the classiest. Not that far behind Sunnyhillboy at Cheltenham last time out.

31 STATE OF PLAY: In the frame in three successive Grand Nationals but I think the sequence will end on Saturday. Won't be improving at the age 12 and this is the toughest renewal he has lined up in.

32 SWING BILL: This grey veteran deserves a crack at the race but appears out of his depth.

33 POSTMASTER: Doesn't have the class to deliver.

34 GILES CROSS: A familiar face in marathon races but is a real mudlark who needs plenty of rain to slow the others down. The forecast says that will not happen.

35 MIDNIGHT HAZE: Trainer is quite bullish about his chances at long odds but this field looks too classy for him.

36 VIC VENTURI: Age is catching up with this 12-year-old. Brought down on his last two attempts in the National.

37 IN COMPLIANCE: Another one who has his best years behind him. Hard to fancy.

38 VIKING BLOND: Went off favourite for December's Welsh National but flopped. May improve with age but looks too inexperienced for now.

39 HELLO BUD: Likely to be his last go at the age of 14. Will be up at the front from the start. May harm the chances of more favoured front-runners by taking them on.

40 NEPTUNE EQUESTER: Had a long season which has deteriorated as time has gone on.

Latest Grand National betting (leading contenders):

7-1 Synchronised, 10-1 West End Rocker, Giles Cross, 11-1 Junior, 12-1 Ballabriggs, On His Own, 14-1 Chicago Grey, Cappa Bleu.

[afc007]

Neptune Collonges wins closest ever race


Neptune Collonges produced a stunning run to the line to win the closest Grand National in history.



The 33-1 shot, ridden by Daryl Jacob and trained by Paul Nicholls, reeled in Sunny Hill Boy in a dash for the line to win by a matter of millimetres as the race was decided by a photo finish.

Starting price favourite Seabass came third with Cappa Bleu fourth, but as ever the race was marred by a huge number of fallers with several horses still being treated on the track long after the race had finished.

According to early reports those falls led to the deaths of Synchronised - one of the pre-race favourites, ridden by AP McCoy - and According to Pete.

The race was filled with drama even before the start as Ruby Walsh was injured in an earlier race and could not ride On His Own.

And the build-up took an even more dramatic twist as McCoy was thrown off by Synchronised even before the start, apparently spooked by the starting tape. The horse started the race after being checked by a vet, but fell at just the second fence.