April 2007

Cheltenham hopes advertised

Editor / 14 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Paul Nicholls' chasers, Kauto Star and Denman, continue to dominate the Betfair market for the 2008 Gold Cup but one horse enhanced his chance with a smooth victory at Aintree this week. While Kauto Star stayed in his box, the horse which followed him home in this year's Gold Cup, Exotic Dancer, romped to a career-best 13-length success in the Betfair Bowl. Such has been his improvement this season - a climb of 30lb up the official ratings - that...Read more »

Mckelvey to cane rivals

Editor / 13 April 2007 / Leave a comment

If ever a horse has been prepared for the Grand National then it is Peter Bowen's Mckelvey. Plans for the eight-year-old were made after the gelding finished a staying on sixth in the Becher Chase over the Aintree fences in November and last season's Summer National winner has been trained to the minute for the big day. In order to maintain his chase handicap mark, Mckelvey was sent on a winning trip to Bangor over hurdles where he produced a...Read more »

Betfair's Grand National Specials attract major interest

Editor / 13 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Betfair's Grand National Specials are taking shape with the winning distance market proving the most popular. The Special markets allow punters to trade on such things as the distance between the first placed horse and the last; whether an Irish horse will win the race; the number of finishers; trading on whether a particular horse will finish; the winning time; and the winning distance. Despite six out of the last ten winners of the race passing the post in excess...Read more »

No idle talk from Ginger McCain

Editor / 13 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Grand National legend Ginger McCain believes Idle Talk's recent fall may be in the gelding's favour, as the stable aims for its fifth victory in the big race. The eight-year-old has failed to complete on his last two starts but McCain has compared the horse with his three-time winner Red Rum, who also fell in a Grand National prep race. Last time out the rider-less Idle Talk jumped around Cheltenham in the Gold Cup, won by Kauto Star, after unseating...Read more »

Doyle keen on Knowhere's chance

Editor / 12 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Tom Doyle is hoping for a big run from Knowhere in Saturday's Grand National after the jockey was confirmed as the rider of the Nigel Twiston-Davies entry. Fresh from his success aboard Oscar Park at the Cheltenham Festival, the Irishman could give Twiston-Davies his third National success following on from Bindaree and Earth Summit. "It's great to have a ride in the Grand National - it's what everyone wants - but it's even better to be riding a horse that's...Read more »

Mighty Man seeks revenge over Inglis Drever

Editor / 11 April 2007 / Leave a comment

The 3m Liverpool Hurdle (14.00) represents an exhilarating curtain-raiser to Aintree's Grand National meeting with three old adversaries, Inglis Drever, Mighty Man and Blazing Bailey, all renewing rivalry. The high-class trio finished in that order when clashing in a memorable encounter for the World Hurdle over a similar distance at last month's Cheltenham Festival - a thrilling contest in which the market leader, Black Jack Ketchum, let favourite backers down by falling at the third. Perhaps the most interesting feature...Read more »

Bowen unfazed by quickening ground

Editor / 11 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Peter Bowen says the chances of training his first-ever Grand National winner, via McKelvey or Ballycassidy, have not been hindered by the prospect of quickening ground at Aintree over the next three days. "McKelvey stays well and jumps great. The ground will suit him perfectly and Tom O'Brien takes the ride," explained Bowen, who sent out McKelvey to finish a staying-on sixth in the Becher Chase run over the National fences in November 2006. "Ballycassidy ran very well last year...Read more »

Dobbin doubtful for Longshanks National ride

Editor / 10 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Tony Dobbin may miss the ride on lively outsider Longshanks in Saturday's John Smith's Grand National after taking a heavy fall in Monday's Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Dobbin's mount, Cloudy Lane, was brought down in a melee at the third-last fence, after which initial reports suggested that the jockey had sustained a broken arm. However, subsequent X-ray examinations have shown no break or fracture, but he has suffered soft tissue damage and extensive bruising. Richard Hales, Dobbin's agent, said:...Read more »

Drever bidding to double up at Aintree

Editor / 09 April 2007 / Leave a comment

High-class gelding Inglis Drever has been given the nod by County Durham trainer Howard Johnson to go for Thursday's Long Distance Hurdle, on the opening day of the Grand National meeting. The eight-year-old, who followed up his 2005 victory in World Hurdle by winning the race for the second time at last month's Cheltenham Festival, is by all accounts in the form of his life. A bullish Johnson explained: "He's come out of Cheltenham without a bother, in fact, I'd...Read more »

Joe edging nearer to Grand National place

Editor / 09 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Ferdy Murphy is hoping his leading Grand National contender, Joes Edge, will make the cut for the final forty-runner line up in next Saturday's Grand National. Joes Edge though, successful in the 2005 Scottish National and a shock 50-1 winner of the three-mile Handicap Chase at the recent Cheltenham Festival, still needs a few more horses to be withdrawn if he and rider Graham Lee are to be involved. Murphy said: "It's looking more likely that he will get in...Read more »

Hedgehunter ready for National

Editor / 08 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Betfair antepost backers of Hedgehunter for next weekend's John Smith's Grand National will be delighted to hear that trainer Willie Mullins has delivered an upbeat bulletin on his 11-year-old's chances for the Aintree showpiece. The veteran won the four-and-a-half mile marathon in 2005 and also finished second last year to Numbersixvalverde, but has had his preparations hit by injury this term. Hedgehunter, who is currently trading at 18.5 for the National, has come out of his prep run over hurdles...Read more »

Eurotrek not the only Nicholls National hope

Editor / 07 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is happy with the preparations made by his Grand National challenger, Eurotrek, but believes Thisthatandtother could be the value bet. While Eurotrek can be traded at around 19.5 for the contest next Saturday, his stable-mate is available at 85. "Eurotrek won the Becher Chase in the autumn, and then we decided we wouldn't run him again because he's had plenty of problems in his career," he told The Telegraph. "Leg problems, heart problems, breathing problems. He's...Read more »

Ferdy's National challenge

Editor / 06 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Ferdy Murphy, who trains the ante-post favourite for the Scottish National, New Alco, will be looking for a boost in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday. Murphy sends Nine De Sivola over for the Irish race as part of a British challenge, which includes Juveigneur and Distant Thunder - who finished in front of New Alco in a recent competitive handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival. New Alco heads the Betfair market for the Ayr marathon, due to...Read more »

Pickings in for support

Editor / 05 April 2007 / Leave a comment

The price of Slim Pickings has continues to contract in Betfair's ante-post market on the Grand National as trainer Tom Taaffe looks to continue Ireland's fine record in the race. Raiders from across the Irish sea have won five out of the last eight Nationals and hold a strong hand again with the first three in the betting: Point Barrow (11), Dun Doire (12) and last year's hero Numbersixvalverde (13). However, further down the market and less obvious has been...Read more »

Evan Williams coy over State of Play Aintree chance

Editor / 05 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Trainer Evan Williams says he is yet to make a decision on whether State of Play will run in next weekend's Grand National. There has been mounting speculation that the Hennessy Gold Cup winner would not feature in this year's Aintree showpiece. But Welshman Williams insists he has not decided yet whether the seven-year-old, who was sixth behind winner Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, will line up for the world's most famous steeplechase. Speaking to the BBC, Williams...Read more »

Dun Doire working well ahead of National

Editor / 04 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Leading Grand National contender Dun Doire has pleased connections in the final stages of his build-up to the Aintree showpiece. Dun Doire, who is bidding to give an Irish raider a third consecutive victory in the race, had a gallop at Navan on Sunday, a sparkling racecourse spin which pleased his trainer, Tony Martin. "He worked over a mile-and-three-furlongs under Bobby McNally and I was very happy," reported Martin, who has booked Paul Carberry to partner Dun Doire on the...Read more »

Only two options left for Well Chief

Editor / 04 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Well Chief will bid to atone for his early fall in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival by heading for big-money prizes at either Aintree or Sandown. One of the most heavily-backed and hottest favourites on the Betfair markets at the Festival, Well Chief let his supporters down by fluffing the second fence and unceremoniously ejecting jockey Timmy Murphy out of saddle. Options are very limited during the remainder of the season for the David Johnson-owned...Read more »

Ossmoses warning to punters

Editor / 03 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Don Foster has issued a warning to traders regarding his Grand National hope Ossmoses with the gelding in desperate need of rain to be a definite starter in the big race. The Northern hope has been well supported in recent weeks but there is a real threat that his favoured testing conditions will not materialise. "I'm praying for rain," Foster told The Times. "I've waited all my life to have a National runner but he's a big strapping horse and...Read more »

Hedgehunter still on course for the National

Editor / 02 April 2007 / Leave a comment

Hedgehunter warmed up for another crack at the Grand National with a pleasing run when finishing ninth over hurdles at Limerick on Sunday. The Willie Mullins-trained gelding, who won the National in 2005 and finished runner-up under top-weight last year, was, as usual partnered by his ever-present, big-race rider Ruby Walsh. "Hedgehunter looked very well and ran on well over a trip (2m) well short of what he needs. If he goes for the National, I'll be riding him," reported...Read more »