OUR 50-1 SHOT FOR GLORY
CASH IN ON THE OUTSIDER CHOSEN BY SAM TURNER, BRITAIN’S No 1 TIPSTER
VENETIA WILLIAMS etched her name into Grand National folklore nine years ago when Mon Mome sprung one of the biggest shocks in the history of the great race and
HOUBLON DES OBEAUX (Aintree, 5.15) could be poised to repeat the trick.
The Herefordshire handler had been involved with the training of a National winner before Mon Mome’s stunning 100-1 triumph as she spent a year at Martin Pipe’s stable the year Miinnehoma won in 1994.
However, Williams became the first female trainer to win the National since Jenny Pitman in 1995 when overseeing Mon Mome’s triumph and she could join an elite roll call of dual winners if Houblon Des Obeaux can build on his effort in last year’s race. The 11-year-old has long been earmarked for a race of this nature and has run well in some of the premier staying chases, not least when conditions were too quick here 12 months ago.
in the circumstances, Houblon Des Obeaux produced a remarkable effort to finish where he did as he had 19 horses in front of him jumping the second-last fence, yet rattled home to pass half of them.
The persistent rainfall will have enhanced his chance and his form this season has been pretty reasonable, considering his stable have found winners tough to come by.
All that has changed in the past fortnight, however, with Williams despatching nine winners from her last 22 runners and the son of Panoramic could be the chief beneficiary of his stable’s welcome return to form. ANIBALE FLY must surely be towards the top of any shortlist given his outstanding performance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a run which was enhanced still further by Might Bite’s success on day one. if the handicapper could frame the weights for today’s race since Cheltenham he would hand Anibale Fly a further 9lbs, such was the measure of his improvement. Another for the shortlist is BLAKLION who moved into contention last year before the petrol gauge started to flicker between the last two fences. Admittedly, it wasn’t rider Noel Fehily’s finest hour, given the normally patient irishman went for home a little prematurely, but his mount was only beaten eight lengths so claims Blaklion didn’t stay are ludicrous. Connections sent him for a wind operation after he disappointed at Haydock last time and the plan is to ride him with a little more restraint today so, although the stats boys will point to his welter-weight, the nineyear-old must go well again. Last, but by no means least, Bryony Frost has lit up the winter with her skills in the saddle and she may just crown a fine season with a huge performance aboard MILANSBAR. Frost celebrated her 23rd birthday yesterday and what better way to celebrate than by becoming the first female rider to win the National. She boasts a willing companion too and the duo teamed up to win the same race as last year’s hero, One For Arthur, when landing Warwick’s Classic Chase in January.