It’s not too early to plan for Aintree
It may be four months away. But the runners are deep into preparation, and the Grand National betting market is vibrant, where tasty prices await.
Contenders for the big race on April 4 next year are emerging by the week and include the 2017 hero, Lucinda Russell’s One For Arthur.
A couple of unseats after 609 days out with a leg injury had red flags waving. But he still ran well to be sixth last year to Tiger Roll.
That signalled that the 10-year-old was back, and his fifth in the Becher Chase, over the Aintree fences, two weeks ago puts him right back in the picture at 40/1.
Just over the border in Penrith, Nicky Richards’ father Gordon W., sent out the winner twice, with Hello Dandy and Lucius.
And Nicky has April’s Scottish National winner, Takingrisks, heading for Aintree from
Greystoke after a winning comeback run at Newcastle.
Outpaced over an inadequate three miles, Takingrisks found a rhythm in the straight and got up in the dying strides to catch Captain Chaos.
There are still jumping issues to be ironed out with the 10-year-old, for local owner Frank Bird, and Richards is thinking about a hurdles prep race for April. He is also rated at 40/1.
Nicky Henderson has never won the race, but he feels that Beware The Bear (40/1) is the right type for Aintree, after a recent Newbury return.
The winner of the Ultima Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March jumped well when two-and-a-quarter lengths behind De Rasher Counter three weeks ago.