RATHVINDEN ticks all the boxes and can give Willie Mullins a second Grand National (5.15), 14 years after Hedgehunter landed the great race.
He proved his stamina when landing the four-miler at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, beating Ms Parfois and this season’s Ladbrokes Trophy winner Sizing Tennessee.
On that form he is very well treated on a mark of 154. He has been trained for today since and looked at least as good as ever when landing the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February impressively – the same warm-up race that Hedgehunter took in 2005. Despite being an 11-year-old he has not been over-raced and may still be improving.
Tiger Roll attempts to be the first since Red Rum in 1974 to win a second National. The amazing nine-year-old seems better than ever this year judged on his hurdles win at Navan in February and his cross country triumph at Cheltenham and his 9lb higher mark than last year is fully justified. But he is not the biggest and 11st 5lb might prove too great a burden. He is tough though and is sure to give it a good shot. His price is very short but that is understandable.
Anibale Fly did well to finish fourth last year as he was hampered early on and then raced very wide. He again comes here after a cracking effort when second in the Gold Cup and should run a mighty race again but, like Tiger Roll, he needs to ‘do a Red Rum’, in his case he is out to be the first to win with top weight since 1974.
It is fair to say that Gordon Elliott is not relying solely on Tiger Roll. Incredibly he fields a squad of 11 – and it would have been 13 but Don Poli and Outlander were sold on Thursday. Those sales still leave seven to carry the Gigginstown colours. Good luck to the commentators! Dounikos, Jury Duty and General Principle look the pick of Elliott’s ‘reserves’.
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Mullins lacks the quantity of his great rival but not the quality. Pleasant Company would have won in two more strides last year and is back again. He jumps these fences so well that he could be a player again despite being higher in the handicap. His form figures are uninspiring but the same was true 12 months ago and he too has been campaigned with only one race in mind.
If the prize does not go to Ireland it could be heading to Wales and the Pembrokeshire yard of Rebecca Curtis. Connections of Joe Farrell had to sweat as to whether he would get in but he has and he could make the most of that good fortune. He won the Scottish National last term and ran a cracker at Newbury last time. He is well in on that form and, like Rathvinden, has had a light campaign which could pay a big dividend now.
Vintage Clouds and Lake View Lad finished second and third in the Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham.
Both are owned by Trevor Hemmings, who has won the race three times, and should stay the trip. If the Festival run has not left a mark they both have each-way claims.
Minella Rocco is well handicapped on his second in the 2017 Gold Cup but terribly treated on every run since! His supporters have needed deep pockets.
I spy an eyecatcher...
At Kempton on Wednesday REGULAR made an encouraging reappearance in a 7f handicap for three-year-olds. The gelding, owned by The Queen, had shown promise on all his three juvenile runs and looked fairly treated on a mark of 74. Perhaps unsurprisingly his owner failed to show for this run-of the-mill all-weather fixture but punters still waded in and Regular was heavily backed down to 9-4. He was always up with the pace for James Doyle but could not fight off his final challenger and finished second. The handicapper will probably nudge him up a couple of pounds but trainer Michael Bell should be able to find a winning opportunity soon. If he wants a knighthood he will, anyway.
Tiger Roll is not the only former winner in the line-up. The 2017 hero One For Arthur is back but he has unseated his rider on his only two runs since – it is unlikely to be two for Arthur!
Rock The Kasbah should stay the trip and has been laid out for this clash since December but he may be too high in the weights. Step Back would be a big player on his Sandown romp last April but he may prefer a right-hand track.
Ultragold comes alive when he sees these unique fences, having won the Topham Chase for the last two seasons but he was only third in the 3m2f Becher Chase in December and has an extra mile to travel now.
David Pipe runs two and Ramses de Teillee has claims on his fine effort last time at Haydock. He is fairly handicapped but no seven-year-old has won since 1940 and he may be one for next season. Vieux Lion Rouge has his fourth attempt and he has completed three times without ever convincing he truly stays.
Walk In The Mill won the Becher Chase over the big fences and has been kept busy over hurdles since. He is not out of it.
- 1 RATHVINDEN, 2 Joe Farrell, 3 Pleasant Company, 4 Anibale Fly
Elsewhere on Saturday...
Andrew Balding usually leaves something to work on with his newcomers so RANCH HAND could be a name to note after making a winning debut at Southwell on Wednesday.
The three-year-old beat two exposed but useful older horses trained by Ian Williams and Alan King, both rated around the 80 mark, with the front three clear.
The winner raced in the old ‘Mill Reef’ silks of Paul Mellon, now the property of Kingsclere Racing Club. The members should have some fun with Ranch Hand, who was winning over 1m4f and looks likely to develop into a useful stayer.
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News Photo Today’s FREE Horse racing tips: The Betting Spy’s top picks for Saturday’s racing at Aintree
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