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Weekly Racing Blog: Grand National Weights / Weekend Wrap


Weekly Horse Racing Blog: Grand National Weights / Weekend Wrap

There’s plenty to look back on over the last seven days in a week that saw the Grand National weights revealed and a weekend that saw many horses have their last runs before the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals.

You Gotta Roll With It

Tiger Roll was given a racing mark of just one pound below the top weight for the 2021 Grand National on April 10th. The 2018 and 2019 winner has been given 11st 9lb alongside stablemate Presenting Percy.

In an “online weights lunch” on Tuesday, Bristol De Mai, Easysland and Santini were all announced as the joint top weights on 11st 10lbs.

Handicapper Martin Greenwood said Tiger Roll’s owners – the O’Learys were “perfectly entitled to any opinion that they want to offer” and “I’m perfectly entitled not to listen to it”.

Of the others, well known owner Trevor Hemmings believes Cloth Cap holds the best chance of the three entries he has in this year’s race. He has previously had the joy of welcoming Hedgehunter (2005), Ballabriggs (2011) and Many Clouds (2015) all back to the winner’s enclosure at Aintree.

Currently on a rating of 148, the nine-year-old has been allocated 10st 5lb, with the Jonjo O’Neill-trained runner now vying for outright ante-post favouritism at 16/1 with Kimberlite Candy and Any Second Now.

Other horses of note to us here at Free Bets are Gordon Elliott’s The Storyteller (11st 8lbs, 50/1), the Paul Nolan-trained Discorama (10st 6lbs, 50/1) and Nicky Henderson’s Ok Corral (10st 8lbs, 50/1).

Can Nicky Henderson finally get that Grand National monkey off his back with this JP McManus-owned eleven-year-old?


Tiger Defeat

In the week that saw his Grand National weight for 2021 revealed, Tiger Roll trailed home last of the six finishers in Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.

Bookmakers reacted by shoving his Aintree showpiece odds out as far as 25/1 in places, but there was no mention of the Liverpool race afterwards from Gordon Elliott.

Instead he said it was still “all systems go” for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase for which he is now a 9/1 chance to win it for a third time.


Weekend Wrap

Ascot

Midnight River, Captain Chaos and Shannon Bridge gave Dan and Harry Skelton a superb 321/1 treble on the Ascot card.

David Pipe’s Remastered is likely to head to the National Hunt Chase or the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next. He is a general 25/1 chance for both races.

Dashel Drasher held off a late challenge from Master Tommytucker to take the Ascot Chase. The hot-favourite Cyrname was pulled-up.


Haydock

Nick Williams’ Galahad Quest ran out a good winner of the Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Third Wind got the better of last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle winner Lisnagar Oscar to land the Rendlesham Hurdle. Lisnagar Oscar is on course to defend his crown at Cheltenham while Third Wind is likely to wait for the former Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Lord Du Mesnil booked his ticket to the Aintree showpiece with a gutsy display in the Grand National Trial at Haydock. Richard Hobson’s runner will be hoping for a wet mid-April to be seen at his best and is trading at 40/1 for the big one.

Monmiral was a 7½ length winner of the Victor Ludorum Hurdle and will now head to Aintree.

Bob And Co took the Walrus Hunter Chase and now goes to Cheltenham for the Hunters Chase for which he was already qualified.


Wincanton

Goshen bounced back to his best in the Kingwell Hurdle his odds for the Champion Hurdle were slashed across the board from around 16/1 to 4/1.


Coko Beach will probably go for the Irish Grand National next after scoring another Graded victory.

Atlantic Fairy lifted Listed honours for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore in the Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle.

Beacon Edge got up in the nick of time to win the Boyne Hurdle.

Gordon Elliott completed a four-timer at Navan on Sunday with Coko Beach, Frontal Assault, Fierami and Ginto.


Newbury

Newbury’s rescheduled Betfair meeting produced the following winners:

  • Gowel Road (7/2)
  • Polish (14/1)
  • Secret Investor (14/1)
  • Sceau Royal (3/1)
  • Soaring Glory (17/2)
  • Enrilo (2/1)
  • and Good Risk At All (10/1).

Keep an eye out for any of those listed that line up at The Festival next month.

* Horse racing odds quoted were correct at the time of writing. All odds are subject to change.