The Randox Grand National at Aintree is more than three months away but I can’t resist a couple of bets on the race now. At this stage, it is important to bet on a horse that is being targeted at the race but that will not go up in the ratings/weights significantly between now and the spring, thereby hampering its chances of winning.
You also need a strong stayer and a sound jumper, ideally one that has run well over the Aintree fences before. Like all antepost bets, it’s best to have a horse too that is not ground dependent so it can handle whatever the going is on the day.
Lucinda Russell knows what it takes to train a Grand National winner having done just that with One For Arthur in 2017. Six years on, she has an excellent chance of winning the Aintree marathon a second time with CORACH RAMBLER, who was a winner for the yard at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Last month, he ran a hugely promising race to be fourth to Le Milos in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, beaten by just nine lengths on ground plenty fast enough for him.
With watering at Aintree guaranteed in order to ensure greater safety for the horses, we know already that the ground in April will be ‘good to soft’ or softer on the day.
Back Corach Rambler each way with a bookie offering 20-1, including bet365, Coral and Ladbrokes.
As usual, Irish trainers will have a big say in the outcome of the race on Saturday 15 April. For my second bet, I was torn between Any Second Now and LIFETIME AMBITION before eventually coming down in favour of the latter.
Any Second Now was my main fancy for the race last year, eventually finishing a gallant second to Noble Yeats with the third horse 20 lengths back.
Any Second Now was beaten by just over two lengths and that may have been an impossible task given Noble Yeats superb form this season. The National winner is now rated 167 compared with his winning mark of just 147 in the Aintree marathon eight months ago.
Trained by Ted Walsh, Any Second Now looks as if his whole season will once again be centred around just one Saturday in mid-April. The horse was also third in the 2021 National despite being badly hampered at one stage.
However, Any Second Now will be 11 years old next year and his good runs in the National mean that he keeps creeping up the weights. I can easily see him being placed for a third time but winning the race now may prove too tough a challenge.
Instead, I am siding with Jessica Harrington’s improving gelding, Lifetime Ambition, who will be eight come the spring. Connections have been open about targeting the National but at the same time Lifetime Ambition has been running well and creeping up in the ratings.
His fourth in a red-hot Boylesport-sponsored Grand Sefton Chase over the National fences early last month has been followed by two big runs in Ireland, the most recent of them at Punchestown this week.
That means he currently has a handicap mark of 155 in Ireland so connections need to ensure that he does not go much higher in the ratings before the big day in April.
Irish handler Jessica Harrington knows how to get one ready for a bid at the National having trained Magic of Light to be second to Tiger Roll in the race in 2019.
Lifetime Ambition is another horse that handles all ground conditions and Harrington is convinced he will stay the marathon trip.
Back Lifetime Ambition each way at 33-1 with Betfred because, unlike many other bookies offering the same price, they are offering five places not four.
A very merry Christmas to all my readers and here’s hoping the festive tips run well too.
Pending bets:
1 point each way Eldorado Allen at 20-1 for the King George VI Chase, paying 1/5 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way The Big Breakaway at 20-1 for the Welsh Grand National at 20-1, paying 1/5 odds, five places.
1 point each way The Big Dog at 12-1 for the Welsh Grand National, paying 1/4 odds, four places.
1 point each way Corach Rambler at 20-1 for the Aintree Grand National, paying 1/4 odds, four places.
1 point each way Leading Ambition at 33-1 for the Aintree Grand National, paying 1/5 odds, five places.
Settled:
1 point each way Hill Sixteen in the Becher Chase at 11-1, paying 1/5 odds, six places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2 points win Annsam at 8-1 for the Howden Silver Cup. Cancelled meeting. Stake returned.
2022-3 jumps season, running total – 2 points.
My gambling record for the seven years: I have made a profit in 13 of the past 14 seasons to recommended bets. To a one-point level stake over this period, the profit of has been just over 469 points. All bets are either one-point each way or two-points win (a ‘point’ is your chosen regular stake).
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