Catterick
1.15 Alexander Road is of some interest here. She is yet to recapture last season’s form but this longer trip should be in her favour. Her wins have come on testing ground however so I am not going to get too carried away with her chances.
3.15 Next to nowhere, Lucky Landing and Bishop’s Heir all make some appeal. Bishop’s Heir is the one with the strongest form but he is another with winning form on soft and heavy ground.
Selections for Thursday
Doncaster
1.05 Gores Island
1.40 Gottany O’s
2.50 General Ting
Ffos Las
3.00 Saint Luke
Leicester
1.10 Swaling is highly regarded by in form trainer Victor Dartnall and can make a winning hurdles debut. Tuscan Gold was a dual winner on the flat for Sir Mark Prescott. Now with Alan King he made a satisfactory start over hurdles when 4th at Huntingdon and should be better for that experience. He looks the danger to the selection.
1.40 This is not a particularly strong race and it might pay to side with Moscow Chancer who has bits of form and is coming down the weights.
3.10 A winner over hurdles at Vichy Soir D’estruval was 3rd on his chase debut and has the scope to win races over fences.
Turf trivia
The Mildmay course fences at Aintree used to be smaller versions of the Grand National obstacles. They were replaced by traditional birch fences in 1975.
Selections for Monday:
Hereford 2.10 Rangitoto
Hereford 2.40 Darlan
Selections for Sunday;
Hereford 2.00 Chartreux; 2.30 Triptico;
Naas; 1.10 Flemenstar: 1.40 Dedigout;
Newcastle
12.20 A decent hurdler, Railway Dillon has been pulled up on both his efforts over fences. He did win at Newcastle over hurdles on soft ground and is worth one more chance to get his act together over fences.
1.55 Devotion to Duty looks a fair each way bet based on his last two runs, at Cheltenham and Bangor. Theologist looks the danger.
Sandown
1.00 The Strawberry One should be suited by the drop back in trip.
2.05 I fancy both Rileyev and All for Free in this. If pushed for a single selection it would be Rileyev as the stable seem to be running into form.
2.35 Magnifique Etoile is unbeaten in 3 starts this season and may still be improving.
3.10 Master of the Hall beat subsequent winner Tamarinbleu at Aintree last month and could just be on a lenient mark. Wymott ran well in the Hennessy but then disappointed at Haydock. It is too soon to write him off however. The Knoxs has a good chance on his hurdles form while Hold on Julio is a course and distance winner and is another that could be ahead of the handicapper. Master of the Hall and Hold on Julio both seem to be going the right way. Despite the fact that he is 3 lbs out of the handicap I am going to take a chance with Hold on Julio.
3.45 Havingotascoobydo will be hard to beat on the evidence of his hurdles form.
Wincanton
2.50 Atouchbetweenacara represents a stable in form and sports first time blinkers. He has come down the weights and at 10/1 is tempting.
From the archives
The Welsh Grand National was first run in 1985 at Cardiff on Easter Monday over a trip of 2.5 miles. The winner was Deerstalker at even money.
My thanks to Emily Russell for the excellent photo.
Just the one selection today and that is Wise Move in the Bangor 2.35.
Lingfield
2.20 Mud loving Mallusk was runner up at Uttoxeter on the last day of 2011 and is on a winnable mark.
Ludlow
3.30 Ascot bumper winner Persian Snow is well regarded by connections and is expected to make a winning start to his hurdles career.
Sedgefield
1.10 This looks the most interesting race of the day. Course winner Going Wrong might find the trip on the sharp side. Bogside is an interesting chase debutant but the most likely winner has to be Realt Mor, who suffered a tired fall at the last fence at Wetherby when he had the race in the bag. Having said that not betting odds on in novice chases would be a fair new year’s resolution!
Huntingdon 2.00 Heather Royale
Southwell 3.10 Keep Kicking
A couple of Lucinda Russell’s runners at Ayr are worth considering, In the 12.35 Cadore showed plenty of promise when runner up at Wetherby while Delightfully, that runs in the 2.40 will love the ground and is reasonably handicapped.
Turf trivia
The Grand National was televised on BBC for the first time in 1960.
ahorse 