Grand National: Synchronised heads 59 entries but has work cut out

Latest News / Timeform / 20 March 2012 /

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Will Synchronised line up at Aintree?

"However, from a handicapping point of view, Synchronised has enough on his plate..."

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised has been kept on the list of Grand National possibles by Jonjo O'Neill after today's scratchings stage...

Synchronised, who is trading at [19.0] in his bid to become the first horse since Golden Miller in 1934 to follow up in the National having won the Cheltenham blue riband, is amongst 59 entries going forward in the Aintree marathon, which takes place over four and a half miles on Saturday April 14.

The 2012 Grand National boasts record prize money of £975,000 and the weights are indeed headed by Synchronised (11-10), who nudged his Timeform master rating up to 168 when winning last Friday.

However, from a handicapping point of view, Synchronised has enough on his plate as his current weight-adjusted rating leaves him fully 14 lb short of [11.0] market leader Prince de Beauchene.

Timeform figures even suggest that he's not the most likely winner in Jonjo O'Neill's Jackdaws Castle yard; fellow J P McManus horse Sunnyhillboy is rated a mere stone behind Prince de Beauchene following his Kim Muir victory, and is now guaranteed a run being positioned at number 35 in the entries list.

Gold Cup fourth Burton Port joins Synchronised on weight-adjusted ratings as connections mull over whether to target their [21.0]-shot at the race, whilst Giles Cross (soft-ground lover who is currently 46th on the list), Neptune Collonges ([44.0]) and Gold Cup disappointment Weird Al sit a further 1 lb behind.

Surprisingly, [16.0] chance Ballabriggs is well down the list on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, last year's hero joining the likes of West End Rocker ([20.0]) and According To Pete ([70.0]) some 8 lb off Synchronised and Burton Port.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings for Aintree Grand National:
PRINCE DE BEAUCHENE (FR) 193
SUNNYHILLBOY (IRE) 181
BURTON PORT (IRE) 179
SYNCHRONISED (IRE) 179
GILES CROSS (IRE) 178
NEPTUNE COLLONGES (FR) 178
WEIRD AL (IRE) 178
CAPPA BLEU (IRE) 177 +
BECAUSEICOULDNTSEE (IRE) 177
KILLYGLEN (IRE) 177
TREACLE (IRE) 176
Others to note - Seabass 176, Junior 175, The Package 173, Shakalakaboomboom 173, Ballabriggs 171

The five-day confirmation stage for the Grand National is on April 9 with the final declaration stage at 10am on April 12 when there can be a maximum field of 40 runners, with the provision for up to four reserves.

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