It used to be that some people liked the challenge of the Spring Double in the Lincoln Handicap and Grand National. It was the dream of pulling off a big priced double, which was highly unlikely but not impossible.
Looking at the current betting for the two races this year it seems astonishing that the favourite for each race is only 4/1. Two cavalry charge handicaps, one over thirty fences and 4/1 is the best price on each? God almighty.
It's true that the Aintree fences are not what they were but it's still a huge field and while the Lincoln has become grossly compressed, with sometimes 7 to 10 lbs covering the field compared to a couple of stone in the last generation, there is still a fairly competitive field there with perhaps the draw to come into play.
I am on Lake View Lad at double carpet in the National and Battered at the same odds in the Lincoln but I played singles only. Surely these are not races to be putting much money on and at 4/1 it's hardly worth bothering for a couple of quid?
How many people out there will end up putting a pound each-way on Tiger Roll and if he finishes 2nd at 4/1 are going to be faced with getting the same two quid back that they staked? I had it before in Grand Nationals as a Betting Shop Manager with horses better priced than Tiger Roll is and had disbelieving once a year punters questioning why their returns were so modest on placed horses. There seemed a common misconception that you got half the odds to the FULL stake for a place and people were expecting a tenner for a quid each-way place at 8/1, when the reality was that it was three quid you got back, effectively 1/2 your money.
At 4/1 odds each-way it's evens for the place part and a money back job, it's the same return as a non-runner. It's a bit sad to see these historic Handicaps in such a pitiful state from a betting opportunity perspective.
Looking at the current betting for the two races this year it seems astonishing that the favourite for each race is only 4/1. Two cavalry charge handicaps, one over thirty fences and 4/1 is the best price on each? God almighty.
It's true that the Aintree fences are not what they were but it's still a huge field and while the Lincoln has become grossly compressed, with sometimes 7 to 10 lbs covering the field compared to a couple of stone in the last generation, there is still a fairly competitive field there with perhaps the draw to come into play.
I am on Lake View Lad at double carpet in the National and Battered at the same odds in the Lincoln but I played singles only. Surely these are not races to be putting much money on and at 4/1 it's hardly worth bothering for a couple of quid?
How many people out there will end up putting a pound each-way on Tiger Roll and if he finishes 2nd at 4/1 are going to be faced with getting the same two quid back that they staked? I had it before in Grand Nationals as a Betting Shop Manager with horses better priced than Tiger Roll is and had disbelieving once a year punters questioning why their returns were so modest on placed horses. There seemed a common misconception that you got half the odds to the FULL stake for a place and people were expecting a tenner for a quid each-way place at 8/1, when the reality was that it was three quid you got back, effectively 1/2 your money.
At 4/1 odds each-way it's evens for the place part and a money back job, it's the same return as a non-runner. It's a bit sad to see these historic Handicaps in such a pitiful state from a betting opportunity perspective.
