12.30pm Grand National weights - unveiled tomorrow!
Chris Cook: I've had my annual stab at working out the weights for the Grand National, which will be revealed tomorrow at a ceremony in London. Here they are, for what they're worth.
I can't pretend that I've put in as many hours on the job as the senior handicapper has done; I have taken the 'broad axe with a blunt edge' approach that used to be so popular with judges assessing damages when I was a lawyer. But the British-based horses all have published ratings, so most of these should not be too far out.
The aim, of course, is to find something that you think is on a decent mark and back it today, before everyone else realises tomorrow and the price collapses. Happy hunting!
11-10 Tidal Bay
11-8 Long Run
11-7 Hunt Ball
11-5 Triolo D'Alene
11-5 Roi Du Mee
11-4 Bog Warrior
11-4 Carlingford Lough
11-4 Rocky Creek
11-3 Mossey Joe
11-3 Rubi Light
11-3 Wayward Prince
11-2 Toner D'Oudairies
11-2 Kauto Stone
11-1 Katenko
11-1 Cantlow
11-1 Seabass
11-1 Walkon
11-0 Balthazar King
11-0 Boston Bob
11-0 Double Seven
11-0 Pandorama
11-0 Prince De Beauchene
10-13 Across The Bay
10-13 Cape Tribulation
10-13 Colbert Station
10-13 Sunnyhillboy
10-13 Teaforthree
10-13 Mr Moonshine
10-12 Godsmejudge
10-12 Massini's Maguire
10-12 Quel Esprit
10-12 Planet Of Sound
10-11 Battle Group
10-11 Buckers Bridge
10-11 Quito De La Roque
10-11 Junior
10-10 Monbeg Dude
10-10 On His Own
10-9 Burton Port
10-9 Mon Parrain
10-9 Our Father
10-9 Sire Collonges
10-9 Big Shu
10-9 Lion Na Bearnai
10-8 Mountainous
10-8 The Package
10-8 The Rainbow Hunter
10-8 Vintage Star
10-8 Chance Du Roy
10-8 Home Farm
10-7 White Star Line
10-7 Hawkes Point
10-7 Kruzhlinin
10-7 Pete The Feat
10-7 Pineau De Re
10-6 Twirling Magnet
10-5 Mart Lane
10-5 Renard
10-5 Same Difference
10-5 Well Refreshed
10-4 Rose Of The Moon
10-4 Shakalakaboomboom
10-4 Tatenen
10-4 Golan Way
10-4 Last Time D'Albain
10-4 Raz De Maree
10-4 Up The Beat
10-4 Vesper Bell
10-3 Alvarado
10-3 Highland Lodge
10-3 Lost Glory
10-3 Merry King
10-3 Midnight Appeal
10-3 Tranquil Sea
10-2 Goulanes
10-2 Ikorodu Road
10-2 Liberty Counsel
10-2 Soll
10-2 Swing Bill
10-1 One In A Milan
10-1 Quantitativeeasing
10-0 Away We Go
10-0 Rockyaboya
10-0 Minella For Value
10-0 Night In Milan
10-0 Saint Are
9-13 Goonyella
9-12 Alfie Sherrin
9-12 Court By Surprise
9-12 Romanesco
9-12 There's No Panic
9-11 Standing Ovation
9-11 Wyck Hill
9-10 Baile Anrai
9-10 Gullible Gordon
9-10 Quinz
9-10 Storm Survivor
9-9 Out Now
9-8 Sir Du Bearn
9-7 Any Currency
9-7 Real Milan
9-7 Solix
9-6 Quiscover Fontaine
9-5 Tour Des Champs
9-4 Bob Ford
9-4 Tarquinius
9-4 Victrix Gale
9-3 Merlin's Wish
9-3 Orpheus Valley
9-3 Undertheboardwalk
9-2 Wrong Turn
9-0 Living Next Door
8-12 Ringa Bay
8-12 Sergeant Pink
8-12 Whodoyouthink
Monday's best bets, by Greg Wood
Plumpton, amid a sense of weary inevitability, failed its early inspection, but Catterick has a fair card over the jumps this afternoon. Diocles (2.50) should win the novice handicap chase, having looked better for an eight-month at this track in December. He steps up significantly in trip here but is bred to appreciate it and still open to improvement in any case on only his ninth start over jumps. Union Jack D'Ycy (3.50) is another chaser with more to come at three miles plus.
The most valuable race of the day is on the all-weather, where eight runners have assembled to chase prize money of £19,000 in a Class 2 over a mile and a quarter.
Big Baz, who already looks destined for better things when the turf season begins after two starts on the winter circuit, is the obvious favourite having won with any amount in hand off just a 5lb lower mark last time out. His previous maiden win was decent form too, recorded in a fair time. This is his most difficult assignment to date by some way but Big Baz (4.00) should be up to it, although he is now odds-on having been 5-4 overnight which tempers enthusiasm a little.
It could prove to be a very rewarding 35 minutes for William Muir, as Fleckerl (4.30) has plenty in hand of his field if he can reproduce the form of his recent win over a mile here. His two starts to date have both suggested that this step up to a mile and a quarter will bring further progress and a price of around 2-1 is perfectly fair.
Cheltenham Festival stat of the day
by Paul Jones, author of the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide
As the focus is starting to switch to the Festival handicaps, just a little something you might want to take on board when coming to analyse the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle (aside from the fact that the Irish have won six of the last seven runnings) is what a fantastic record novices have in the leading 2m handicap hurdles this season, on top of also winning the latest two editions of the County. The four most prestigious 2m handicap hurdles run in Britain and Ireland during the winter are the Greatwood at Cheltenham, the Ladbroke at Ascot, the boylesports.com at Leopardstown and the Betfair at Newbury, and novices have won the lot. Given that novices have also won seven of the last 20 runnings of the County Hurdle, what price the grand slam?
Paul Jones will provide a stat of the day, Monday to Friday, from now to the week before the Festival.
Click here to order the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide published by Weatherbys.
Stan James tipping competition - a new week
Congratulations to last week's winner, intelligentlaying, who finished on a final score of +20.63.
This week's prize, we offer you a second chance to win a £25 ante-post bet on any race at the Cheltenham Festival, kindly offered by Stan James!
To kick things off, we'd like your selections, please, for these races: 3.20 Catterick, 3.50 Catterick, 5.30 Wolverhampton.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Click here for all the day's racecards, form, stats and results.
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
