Midlands Grand National Big Race Verdict: Team Williams hold all the Uttoxeter aces

• Alan Dudman previews the Uttoxeter feature on ITV this Saturday

• Two each-way fancies with five places on the Sportsbook

• Click here for the latest Betfair Racing Odds!

• Check out more tips from Betfair here

---

A Mullins market leader for a Saturday

Uttoxeter's flagship race and a raucous crowd will light up the weekend post-Cheltenham blues. The ground will be quite a test as it often is, with the going stick 3.4 on the chase course and officially soft. Perhaps Willie Mullins, who complained about the Cheltenham ground, should have waited for Uttoxeter? 

The Betfair Sportsbook has five places, although my antepost fancy Transmission won't be running, and having backed Grand Geste at Cheltenham on Tuesday, Sue Smith would have been better waiting for the soft ground for this as Grand Geste held an entry - oh well.

A look at the fancied runners at Uttoxeter

The hot favourite is the Emmet Mullins-trained J'Arrive De L'Est at 11/43.75. Clearly a fascinating contender on his French form, and two runs for Mullins since ditching his Francophile loyalties sees two defeats as a beaten favourite next to his name over the Cross Country course at Cheltenham.

We're all just about over the boredom of that race that lasts for too long. 

He's a seven-year-old, unexposed and will take to the soft at Uttoxeter well. His age group have won the race four times since 2000, but the price is just a little short for a long distance race where some luck will be needed as well as some skill.

J'Arrive De L'est is also the Timeform top-rated in the field with a TF rating of 149.

Jamie Snowden's Git Maker finished fifth in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last time over 3m4f and goes up in distance again.

He is not an attractive horse to watch in terms of expecting any sort of fluent style, as he often is niggled, often comes from the back and more than likely has an error in him.

The blinkers first time clearly helped at Haydock, and that race wasn't run to suit as Haydock these days is a front-runners' paradise. His Timeform Rating of 143 puts him six behind the favourite and isn't progressive.

Aworkinprogress for Nick Gifford ticks plenty of boxes at 13/27.50. Soft and heavy going suits, he stays and comes into the race in form having landed the Surrey National at Lingfield last time.

As a piece of form he produced his best on TF ratings at 129+ as he had previously performed poorly at Chepstow - but he can be excused Chepstow as the going was dead against him.

Any sort of good in the description will not do for him, but he can travel well in deep mud and from a mark of 130 can play a part.

Deafening Silence and Isaac Des Obeaux are the others in single figures for Dan Skelton and Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls. Deafening Silence is another out of the Grand Geste Grand National Trial at Haydock last time - beaten three lengths into fourth and a third in the Welsh Grand National very much puts him into the frame.

Isaac Des Obeaux also likes to lead or be up with the pace and acts in heavy - this is a new test in terms of trip and, on TF Ratings, Deafening Silence is the better horse (by 4lbs).

Also single figures for Barry Connell's My Immortal - who came from nowhere to win the Irish Grand National Trial by 5L last time, and has gone up 10lb for the win. He was struggling badly for form prior to that epic win, and Connell said the deep ground was the reason for the big improvement in form and the explanation was noted.

Market Moves on the Betfair Sportsbook

Neo King has been the one for money, from 16/117.00 into 9/110.00. His third, when coming from off the pace, in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, behind Grand Geste, is most certainly one to upgrade considering how it was hard to come from the rear on the Merseyside speedsters' circuit. 

Neo King took advantage of a lenient 110 rating, landing the money at Windsor, and stamina on soft is another his attributes. He is going for a trainer very much in form in Cath Williams who from just two runners sent out has a second and first at the Cheltenham Festival. Some feat.

Perhaps it's the trainer switch from husband Evan?

Ian Williams' Catch Catchfire has been hammered from 20/121.00 into 12/113.00 and he had no luck at Exeter last time as he was kicked at the start - he was pulled up and was never happy. He did finish second to Aworkinprogress in the Surrey National, albeit in receipt of plenty of weight.

De Legislator is a mover from 25/126.00 to 12/113.00, and this is very much the second option as he was declared for the four-miler marathon at Hexham on Thursday, which was lost to high winds. I didn't fancy him for that, and in a better race, I cannot fancy him here.

Alcedo 25/126.00 into 16/117.00 has the Venetia fans running to back her after her 66/167.00 bolt out of the blue Martator and Alcedo beat Grand Geste at Newcastle over 2m4f in November.

Pace map and tactics

FRONT RUNNERS: My Immortal, Collectors Item, Isaac Des Obeaux, Catch Catchfire.

PROMINENT RACERS: Rock My Way, Deafening Silence, Isaac Des Obeaux, Jupiter Allen, Alcedo, J'Arrive De L'Est, Minella Blueway, Sporting Ace.

HOLD-UP: Deafening Silence, Aworkinprogress, Git Maker, Alcedo, Grand Albert, Neo King, De Legislator.

Trainer form

Joe Tizzard - 1-26 at 4% last two weeks.

Barry Connell - 0-4 last two weeks.

Dan Skelton - 11-75 at 15% last two weeks. 4-50 at 8% Uttoxeter this season.

Jonjo O'Neill - 4-31 at 13% last two weeks. 2-18 at 11% at Uttoxeter this season.

Paul Nicholls - 2-29 at 7% last two weeks. 1-5 at 20% at Uttoxeter this season.

Jamie Snowden - 2-21 at 10% last two weeks. 8-28 at 29% at Uttoxeter this season.

Chester Williams - 2-5 at 40% last two weeks.

Venetia Williams - 2-13 at 15% last two weeks. 2-7 at 29% at Uttoxeter this season.

Emmet Mullins - 2-14 at 14% last two weeks.

Don McCain - 2-23 at 9% last two weeks. 1-21 at at 4% at Uttoxeter this season.

John McConnell - 1-21 at 5% last two weeks.

Lucinda Russell - 8-41 at 20% last two weeks.

Ian Williams - 7-42 at 17% last two weeks.

Neil King - 3-5 at 60% last two weeks.

---

Alan Dudman's Midlands Grand National 1-2-3 verdict

We could have a Williams exotic here with Chester, Venetia, Cath and Ian all doing it for the Williamses around the world. We just needed Christian for the full set.

I think Neo King from 120 in this sort of going will be a player. I'm happy to go in with him at 9s, despite the 16/117.00 gone as of Friday morning, so I am hoping he might drift a little again. But considering he was ridden off the pace in the Grand Geste race at Haydock, I cannot ignore that run. 

He should stay, as over the 3m4f behind Grand Geste, he was actually quicker at furlong 26f and 28f, and the latter was 16.48 to the winner's 16.87 seconds.

Jupiter Allen for young Chester did it so easily last time at Wincanton in heavy and a 6lb rise to just 127 for an 11 length victory looks on the lenient side. He beat the 136-rated Largy Poet easily, and with the promise of a little more to come over further, I like his chances.

I cannot leave out Alcedo, as I have been chasing the tail of Venetia's form all season. He beat Grand Geste at Newcastle over 2m4f in November, and he's been crying out for a stamina test as Warwick was far too insufficient in terms of distance last time.

1) Neo King

2) Jupiter Allen

3) Alcedo

---

Now read more racing tips for Saturday here!

---