BEAR NECESSITY
Beware Nicky’s National hope
VICENTE bids for his third Scottish Grand National in a row at Ayr (4.05) today.
Paul Nicholls withdrew his charge from the Aintree equivalent last week in search of better ground and punters don’t believe the 4lb rise in the weights is enough to stop this 7-1 joint favourite.
Sharing the top spot is Vintage Clouds, representing the same owner, but Sue Smith’s charge was beaten off a 4lb lower mark 12 months ago although that has not stopped support for Danny Cook’s mount who was as big as 14-1.
The Irish don’t have a great record in this marathon event but Glencairn View has been particularly popular and is now into 16-1 from 25-1.
Gold Present (14-1) and Beware The Bear (16-1) represent Unibet ambassador Nicky Henderson and while the latter will get outpaced early on, he’ll be doing his best work at the finish and we have seen money for this dour stayer, who is still relatively unexposed.
The former is trying the trip for the first time but will love the ground and has a touch of class. Label Des Obeaux, for the same jockey-trainer who teamed up to win with Godsmejudge in 2013, has also gone to 16-1 from 20-1.
Sixteen go to post for the Scottish Champion Hurdle (2.55) and Unibet will pay a quarter odds on the first four places.
Claimantakinforgan became bogged down on the ground at Cheltenham but will be more at home on this better surface and a chance is taken on him at 8-1 while we’ve laid a few decent bets on The Unit who reverts to hurdles and is fresh having skipped Cheltenham and Aintree.
On the flat at Newbury, Expert Eye bids to enhance his Classic claims in the Greenham (3.10) and is 8-11 to do so.
But that looks much too short given his disappointing Dewhurst run and punters are keen to take him on with the likes of James Garfield who is much better priced at 5-1.
Raid is another that has attracted interest at 14-1 from 18-1 with Oisin Murphy aboard.
The Fred Darling sees 7-2 shot Tajaanus aim to give our flat ambassador Richard Hannon another win in the fillies’ Classic Trial and her trainer is keen on her chances in his exclusive Unibet blog.
But in a race where the trainer saddles three runners, Natural has been the most popular of the trio so we’ve moved her odds into 8-1 from 10-1.
After an easy win in the Craven on Thursday, Masar was cut drastically into 5-1 – clear second favourite – from 33-1 for the 2000 Guineas next month.