All of Willie’s horses are in the top 40 so it’s up to him then who he wants to run at Aintree. I’m not sure about Rathvinden or Acapella Bourgeois but we’ve got Total Recall, Pleasant Company and Childrens List. Childrens List will definitely want it to dry up.
The two horses you’d want to be on looking at it are Anibale Fly and Total Recall. I think this race is far enough from Cheltenham to allow the horses to recover. Anibale Fly was third in the Gold Cup and for my money Total Recall would’ve been fourth. I think they’re the two real class horses. Obviously a lot will depend on the ground and the weather but form is form and I think theirs is a bit ahead of everyone else’s in the field.
Elsewhere, Minella Rocco has to come back to form. Blaklion was brilliant in the Becher at Aintree last December but he was shockingly disappointing at Haydock. The Last Samurai, his run wasn’t good enough in the cross country and he’s had loads of chances before so my question would be: why is he going to win it now?
Gold Present was progressive but unfortunately his last run at Cheltenham looks like he’s reached the level. I think Carlingford Lough has dropped well down in the handicap and he could be unexposed. He’s a class horse on his day so he could be the dark one in this for me.
Raz De Maree’s Welsh National win was a great run so who knows what will happen with him but the heavier ground the better for him and he’s got plenty of age on his side. When you look at Isleofhopendreams and Folsom Blue in the Irish National, I think Baie Des IIes is a great each way shout in the English National. She was third behind those two at Punchestown and I’d imagine Katie will be on board as well so the 40/1 (and probably higher) looks a very good price to me.
Let’s just hope it’s as good as the Irish Grand National – an unbelievable spectacle.
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