Grand National 2018

Noticed we didn't have a Grand National thread up yet.

With just over two weeks until the Grand National, just wondered who you are all going for / if you have any early thoughts, obviously final decs etc still to be sorted.

Quite like Minello Rocco personally, very classy horse on his day and reckon the GN will suit him to a tee, breathing op will have helped too, problem is just that top weight and having to be the first horse in 44 years since the legend and grand national GOAT to do it however Many Clouds was only a pound off the top weight Lord W when he won it. Quite a bit to shoulder but definitely has a great chance all things permitting, and 16/1 even from an e/w perspective i feel is pretty huge.

Reckon Cogry will be my e/w outsider at a juicy price if it races, maybe Gas Line Boy.

Yours?

 

Tiger Roll 14/1. A grade 2 winning staying chaser with the class to win a grade 1 at 2 miles over hurdles. Set to carry just 10 stone 12lbs. I can't see O'Leary whinging about his handicap mark anytime soon.
Pleasant Company 25/1 ew. Ran well in this last year and jumped lovely with the exception of a complete momentum stopping error on the 2nd circuit. A clear round should see him in the shake up.
Buywise 40/1 ew. I've often thought this one a bit of a rogue but chucking him with an ew squeak if the ground is better than the last time he took part in this race in 2016.
NRNB on all selections. Odds for the last 2 much higher without NRNB.

 

I was thinking the same myself Chelsea when I looked on here last night and you beat me to it as was gonna put up a thread tonight. Just over 2 weeks away to the greatest spectacle there is for a national hunt race. I love this race and always have a good day building up to race time.

I have not had a good look at the field but 4 weeks ago I had an ante post bet on Final Nudge at 50/1 EW 5 places NRNB. I lost my discipline a bit as many of you will know I usually avoid ante post betting. Currently number 46 on the list so touch and go as to whether he gets in but if he doesn't nothing lost.

Think he has a touch of class and ran a good race in the Welsh National so I think has a chance of staying the trip and if getting in will have a light weight. Not sure who will ride him though as can't see any of the recent jockeys being available. Perhaps Gavin Sheehan as he has ridden him before and rides a number of runners for David Dennis.

Others do spring to mind such as the obvious Blaklion but I haven't seriously considered any other than the above selection at this time. Here is the current list of 73 still left in the race:

1) MINELLA ROCCO (IRE) 8 11-10 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
2) BLAKLION 9 11-09 Simon Such & Gino Paletta Nigel Twiston-Davies
3) ANIBALE FLY (FR) 8 11-07 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE
4) THE LAST SAMURI (IRE) 10 11-07 Paul & Clare Rooney Kim Bailey
5) VALSEUR LIDO (FR) 9 11-06 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
6) TOTAL RECALL (IRE) 9 11-04 Slaneyville Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
7) ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) 8 11-03 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
8) GOLD PRESENT (IRE) 8 11-03 John & Barbara Cotton Nicky Henderson
9) PERFECT CANDIDATE (IRE) 11 11-02 ISL Recruitment Fergal O'Brien
10) CAUSE OF CAUSES (USA) 10 11-01 J P McManus Gordon Elliott IRE
11) SHANTOU FLYER (IRE) 8 11-01 Carl Hinchy Richard Hobson
12) TENOR NIVERNAIS (FR) 11 11-00 Boultbee Brooks Ltd Venetia Williams
13) CARLINGFORD LOUGH (IRE) 12 11-00 J P McManus John Kiely IRE
14) VICENTE (FR) 9 10-13 Trevor Hemmings Paul Nicholls
15) GO CONQUER (IRE) 9 10-13 Paul & Clare Rooney Jonjo O'Neill
16) TIGER ROLL (IRE) 8 10-12 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
17) REGAL ENCORE (IRE) 10 10-12 J P McManus Anthony Honeyball
18) VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) 9 10-12 Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent David Pipe
19) RATHVINDEN (IRE) 10 10-12 Ronnie Bartlett Willie Mullins IRE
20) ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) 8 10-12 Slaneyville Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
21) A GENIE IN ABOTTLE (IRE) 7 10-11 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
22) CHASE THE SPUD 10 10-11 Christine Banks Fergal O'Brien
23) WARRIORS TALE 9 10-11 Trevor Hemmings Paul Nicholls
24) SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT 10 10-11 Quona Thomson Sandy Thomson
25) AS DE MEE (FR) 8 10-11 The Stewart Family & Judi Dench Paul Nicholls
26) GAS LINE BOY (IRE) 12 10-10 The Three Graces Ian Williams
27) THE DUTCHMAN (IRE) 8 10-10 SprayClad UK Colin Tizzard
28) PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE) 10 10-10 Malcolm Denmark Willie Mullins IRE
29) BELLSHILL (IRE) 8 10-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
30) UCELLO CONTI (FR) 10 10-09 Simon Munir/Isaac Souede Gordon Elliott IRE
31) SAINT ARE (FR) 12 10-09 David Fox Tom George
32) BEEVES (IRE) 11 10-09 Paul & Clare Rooney Jennie Candlish
33) RAZ DE MAREE (FR) 13 10-08 James Swan Gavin Cromwell IRE
34) I JUST KNOW (IRE) 8 10-07 Michael Scholey & the late Ray Scholey Sue Smith
35) VIRGILIO (FR) 9 10-07 C Edwards, D Futter, A Rushworth Dan Skelton
36) BAIE DES ILES (FR) 7 10-07 Zorka Wentworth Ross O'Sullivan IRE
37) MAGGIO (FR) 13 10-07 Douglas Pryde/James Beaumont Patrick Griffin IRE
38) PENDRA (IRE) 10 10-07 J P McManus Charlie Longsdon
39) BUYWISE (IRE) 11 10-07 T Hywel Jones Evan Williams
40) CHILDRENS LIST (IRE) 8 10-07 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
41) HOUBLON DES OBEAUX (FR) 11 10-06 Mrs Julian Blackwell Venetia Williams
42) LORD WINDERMERE (IRE) 12 10-06 Dr Ronan Lambe Jim Culloty IRE
43) CAPTAIN REDBEARD (IRE) 9 10-06 Stuart Coltherd Stuart Coltherd
44) BLESS THE WINGS (IRE) 13 10-05 Adrian Butler/S P O'Connor Gordon Elliott IRE
45) MILANSBAR (IRE) 11 10-05 Robert Bothway Neil King
46) FINAL NUDGE (IRE) 9 10-05 Corbett Stud David Dennis
47) DOUBLE ROSS (IRE) 12 10-05 Options O Syndicate Nigel Twiston-Davies
48) ROAD TO RICHES (IRE) 11 10-04 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
49) DELUSIONOFGRANDEUR (IRE) 8 10-04 McGoldrick Racing 3 Sue Smith
50) THUNDER AND ROSES (IRE) 10 10-04 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
51) WALK IN THE MILL (FR) 8 10-03 Baroness Harding Robert Walford
52) VINTAGE CLOUDS (IRE) 8 10-03 Trevor Hemmings Sue Smith
53) WOUNDED WARRIOR (IRE) 9 10-01 Gigginstown House Stud Noel Meade IRE
54) GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) 9 10-01 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
55) VIC DE TOUZAINE (FR) 9 10-01 Andrew Brooks & G Moore Venetia Williams
56) SPLASH OF GINGE 10 10-00 John Neild Nigel Twiston-Davies
57) BONNY KATE (IRE) 8 10-00 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE
58) COGRY 9 10-00 Graham and Alison Jelley Nigel Twiston-Davies
59) SIR MANGAN (IRE) 10 10-00 Frank McAleavy Dan Skelton
60) MYSTEREE (IRE) 10 10-00 Lynne Maclennan Michael Scudamore
61) MINELLA DADDY (IRE) 8 9-13 Roddy Owen & Paul Fullagar Peter Bowen
62) BRAQUEUR D'OR (FR) 7 9-13 Corsellis & Seyfried Paul Nicholls
63) RELENTLESS DREAMER (IRE) 9 9013 Nigel Morris Rebecca Curtis
64) KNOCK HOUSE (IRE) 9 9012 Tim Leslie Donald McCain
65) THE YOUNG MASTER 9 9011 Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters Neil Mulholland
66) HENRI PARRY MORGAN 10 9-09 Ednyfed & Elizabeth Morgan Peter Bowen
67) PHIL'S MAGIC (IRE) 8 9-09 Lyreen Syndicate Tony Martin IRE
68) ALFIE SPINNER (IRE) 13 9-09 Alan Beard & Brian Beard Kerry Lee
69) DANCING SHADOW (IRE) 9 9-08 The Dancing Shadows Victor Dartnall
70) ROGUE ANGEL (IRE) 10 9-08 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
71) OUT SAM 9 9-06 D Charlesworth Gordon Elliott IRE
72) KRACKATOA KING 10 9-03 J Harrison Lee & T Howard P'ship Kerry Lee
73) GOODTOKNOW 10 9-02

 

3)ANIBALE FLY (FR) 8 11-07 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE

After running third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (33/1) one handicapper quipped
that he would put this up another 9lbs.

Maybe the one but i still think to much weight and the age is against it also.

We will see

 

Shared the winner last year and already have this years sorted, provided they dont run it in Ireland on Monday!
There's confidence!

 

Bellshill?

 

Thanks for starting the thread Chelsea. My early fancy was Whisper but I see he isn't running. I hate deserting Buywise but he was beaten a long way at the age of 9, 2 years ago Don't know why he didn't participate last year. In Minella Rocco we have the class of a horse who 2 years ago beat Native River on level terms and finished 2nd in Sizing John's Gold Cup last year. Not the same force this year and clearly weighted on his best form. Seems a lot of weight bearing in mind his form over the last 6 months. Big fan of his grand sire Alleged (descendent of the one and only Ribot). Total Recall just beat Whisper but he was receiving a stone that day and I think I would have been put off Whisper if he would have been carrying 12.4 in the GN. Can't see why he is favourite. I like Blaklion. Seems to go well at Aintree. 8lbs higher than last year when 4th but he was only 8 then so I expect him to do better this year. I also like Cause of Causes. Something must have been amiss at Cheltenham. Ran well last year (only 5l off winning) despite being hampered then bumped and only gone up 2lb.

 

Cause of Causes 16/1 Win NRNB

 

Do like Cause of Causes too (nearly abbreviated it to COC there gladly stopped first ) did Elliot ever say what happened at Cheltenham why it just didn't get going, ground ?

 

Definitely a bit on Milansbar too with Bryony onboard!

 

I don't know if he's said anything about it but I'd guess it'll do something like, "he came back fine, no issues he just had an off day for whatever reason. The vet checked him over and gave him a clean bill of health, so the plan is still to run him in the national."

 

Belshill is very likely to go in the Irish National on Monday according to the trainer.

Cause of Causes was found to be sore following his run in the cross country at Cheltenham and didnt like the ground. He is not certain to run in the National.

 

UCELLO CONTI

 

Its not in the line up for the Irish National so can't see why you would be worried that he will run on Monday. Backed it last year in the race and I have noticed has dropped a few pounds from his mark last year. Definitely big chance.

 

There must have been a declaration stage yesterday as it was still in the Irish race when I checked yesterday. Good, all systems go then!

 

Well that's where cynicism gets you, absolutely ****ing nowhere. Cause of Causes ruled out for rest of season and misses Grand National

 

Oh bollocks. Still it's better the horse is looked after

 

Most definitely Ron

 

Hope Captain Redbeard makes the cut, Haydock lovers do well at Aintree, needs the soft ground though, which maybe the case........

 

Is Cause of Causes out of the National?