Coming in to the
2018 renewal, five of the last six Grand National heroes had a
starting price of 25/1 or bigger.
That stat is all
the evidence needed to show that the world’s greatest steeplechase
remains one of the most difficult races to pick the winner in.
This extended 4m
2f Aintree marathon may be a compressed handicap nowadays, but is
still full of unpredictable elements.
What the above
demonstrates is that punters should not be so quick to dismiss the
chances of horses at larger prices.
If finding
something to back for the Grand National is giving you a headache,
then you can always pick from
the tips at Timeform, but here we put three horses not currently
prominent in the ante-post betting under the spotlight.
Ucello Conti
Owners Simon
Munir and Isaac Souede will be hoping it’s third time lucky at
Aintree for Ucello Conti, who is their sole representative this year.
Connections have
already taken Vyta Du Roc, Polidam and Bristol De Mai out of the
Grand National, so appear happy to rely on the Gordon Elliott trained
10-year-old.
Sixth to fellow
Irish raider Rule The World in this race two years ago, Ucello Conti
was perhaps a little unlucky to unseat his rider when tackling
Becher's Brook for the second time in last season’s renewal.
A seven-length
second to Anibale Fly on reappearance in the Paddy Power Handicap
Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, he disappointed last
time out when pulled up in the Thyestes at Gowran Park.
Depending on
what other horses forfeit their Grand National entries (the week
prior to the Cheltenham Festival, he is 41 on the list), Ucello Conti
could get in to the race with the most favourable terms yet.
Seeyouatmidnight
One For Arthur
was a rare Scottish trained winner of the Aintree showpiece last year
for Lucinda Russell, but hopes
for the tartan team this time fall on another Borders-based
handler.
Sandy Thomson’s
Seeyouatmidnight was third in the 2016 Scottish Grand National at
Ayr, so there is no doubting his stamina.
The 10-year-old
hasn’t been seen over fences since pulling up in Haydock’s
Betfair Chase that same year. Prior to that, Seeyouatmidnight beat
Bristol De Mai in a Listed intermediate contest over fences.
He was also
second at local track Kelso in a staying handicap over hurdles last
March and could make his return over fences in the Ultima Handicap
Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. However he performs if he turns up
there, Seeyouatmidnight will surely come on for the run.
Go Conquer
Like compatriot
Elliott above, Jonjo O’Neill knows what it takes to train a Grand
National winner after his success with Don’t Push It in 2010. In Go
Conquer, he has a nine-year-old with some experience of those unique
spruce covered Aintree fences.
He raced in last
year’s Topham Chase over 2m 5f at the Grand National meeting, but
never really recovered from getting badly hampered at the Canal Turn.
Go Conquer completed under Aidan Coleman, so it was clear connections
were keen to maximise the opportunity.
In winning his
first two starts this season, including the
Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot, Go Conquer highlighted how he still had
improvement in him.
That previous
spin over the National fences hints that this is a target earmarked
for him by owners Paul and Clare Rooney.
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