Grand National Ante-Post
The main consequence of the combination of the tighter entry rules and the greater prize money for this year’s race is that fewer no-hopers are being entered as trainers realise that you will probably need a horse rated at least 135 or even 140 to get a run. The reduction in the size of some of the fences has also probably encouraged owners to risk running their better horses in the contest.
So, the 2012 renewal is likely to lack the romantic stories that the race has thrown up in the past when horses with no apparent chance have made the frame at massive odds, but we may instead be in for the most competitive, high quality renewal that we have ever seen and so you are going to need a horse with a touch of class to be in with a chance of taking the great prize.
At this stage, the two we suggest backing are PLANET OF SOUND and BURTON PORT.
Planet Of Sound was good enough two seasons ago to win the Gold Cup at Punchestown’s May festival when those in behind him included War Of Attrition and the mighty Denman.
He has been lightly raced since due to a few niggling injuries, but showed he retains his ability with a fine second in this year’s Hennessy off second top weight of 11st 2lbs. Indeed, there is every chance that he may have improved slightly following that lay off as he had a breathing operation in the close season.
He loves decent ground, which we tend to get at Aintree these days, and has shown most of his best form in the spring, which all makes the 33-1 currently available with a number of bookmakers, including Ladbrokes and Victor Chandler, a very attractive each way price.
There’s still some 50-1 available about our second selection, Burton Port, which would look a huge price if the horse is back to his best after missing most of last season through injury. In fact, he only ran once in 2010/11 when, like Planet Of Sound this year, he finished second in the Hennessy.
That was a much stronger renewal than the one Planet Of Sound contested, with Diamond Harry and Denman finishing either side of our selection.
Prior to that, Burton Port had won the big staying novice chase at the Grand National Festival in 2010, a run that came three weeks after he’d been second in the RSA Chase (with Long Run a short head back in third).
Whilst Burton Port isn’t the biggest, he is a very sound jumper and a strong stayer. He has also shown great battling qualities on numerous occasions in the past and so looks the ideal type for the race.
The one concern would be whether or not he will actually be targeted at the contest as he probably has the form and class to play a prominent role in this year’s Gold Cup, but it is worth remembering that his owner, Trevor Hemmings, loves nothing more than having runners in the Grand National.
The reports from Seven Barrows suggest the horse is in fine form and if he impresses on his re-appearance, which should be any day soon, his odds will tumble.
Of the rest, Junior looks to have rock solid credentials, but his current price of around 12-1 isn’t likely to shorten much before the end of March, whilst last year’s ante post selection, The Midnight Club, who ran such a cracker for us and would surely have been placed but for being badly hampered four out, remains of interest despite being out of form so far this winter as those runs have been over inadequate trips and on unsuitable ground.