Photo courtesy of RacehorsePhotos
By Charlie McCann
AS OF 9am this morning BetVictor are now going SIX PLACES on the Grand National and with Cheltenham all done and dusted for another year, it is now all about the road to Aintree.
Willie Mullins' On His Own was made 10/1 joint-favourite after his gallant second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and heads the market alongside Rebecca Curtis' Teaforthree; third in the race twelve months ago.
Grand National prices from BetVictor:
On His Own 10/1 (from 16s)
Teaforthree 10/1
Tidal Ba y 16/1
Long Run 20/1
Rocky Creek 20/1
Triolo D'Alene 20/1
Balthazar King 20/1 (from 33s)
25/1 Bar
Teaforthree and Triolo D'alene were both out-classed Friday's feature but should be much better suited to the National trip and Aintree's infamous fences.
As will Phillip Hobbs' Balthazar King who was a game winner from top weight in the Cross-Country Chase at the festival – now 20/1 (from 33s) with BetVictor and the 10-y-o bidding to improve further after finishing down the field in last year's renewal.
There is all-weather action this afternoon from Wolverhampton and Kempton Park, the latter looking the strong of the two and the feature £25 Free Bet at BetVictor.com Handicap looking the pick of the action; the 0-95 event attracting some high class sprinters.
Lee Carter's Barnet Fair has good form in some of last summer's most competitive sprint handicaps but will likely need the run to get him spot on for a spring campaign and preference lay with Alan Bailey's Baddilini (4.20) who stayed on strongly to win at Wolverhampton last Saturday.
Champion jockey Richard Hughes is a very eye-catching booking for the gelding and he is taken to land the spoils ahead of Michael Wigham's in-form Trojan Rocket.
Stuart Williams' Welease Bwian (2.20) received a less than stellar ride last time out at Lingfield however with regular partner Adam Beschizza back aboard he looks to have strong claims in the opening five furlong handicap providing he can manoeuvre his way across from a poor draw in stall seven.
Thecornishcowboy (3.50) failed to land a gamble last time out and dropped another pound by the handicapper, looks likely to land another plunge in the BetVictor.com Handicap. Adam Kirby is once again deployed by trainer John Ryan and despite his form figures making for painful reading money talks and hopefully the gamble can make amends over the shorter trip.
There was enough to like about Arty Campbell (4.50) on his handicap debut last time out to suggest that there is more to come from Bernard Llewellyn's charge, which can see the 4-y-o get his head in front in the Download the BetVictor App Now Handicap.
Martin Lane retains the ride and should be prominent once more on the son of Dylan Thomas, likely to make full use of the plumb draw in stall two. With a 5lb weight for age concession he looks to have strong each way claims.
The finale looks a tricky puzzle with no less than eight course and distance winners in the field for the Follow us on Twitter @BetVictorRacing Handicap, run over six furlongs.
Dean Ivory thrives with his sprinters and his El Mirage (5.20) looks to be becoming very well handicapped, now down to a mark of 64 and Jim Crowley booked to do the steering.
Jump racing fans have Southwell to keep them entertained this afternoon and with the Reveley stable in good nick a chance can be taken on Shadrack (2.05) in the opening two miles handicap chase.
The 10-y-o will have gone in plenty of notebooks after a promising third behind Next Sensation on his debut for the yard and he bettered that on his very next start when chasing home James Ewart's Zaru over the same course and distance.
He was never competitive stepped up in grade last time out but back down to 0-120 competition should be well within this horse's remit and he is a confident selection with James once again doing the riding for his father Keith
For all the latest odds go to BetVictor.com
