11.30am Scudamore plumps for Ballynagour in the National
Tony Paley: Tom Scudamore, who will make his comeback from injury at Aintree on Thursday when his rides include the Betfred Bowl outsider Dynaste, has sided with Ballynagour in the Grand National on Saturday.
Scudamore will be reunited with Cheltenham Festival World Hurdle winner Thistlecrack in the Liverpool Stayers’ Hurdle on National day before getting the leg-up on David Pipe’s Ballynagour.
“I’m not going to have any rides before Aintree, but I’m feeling great and can’t wait to get back,” said the jockey.
“I’m riding Dynaste on Thursday, but it’ll be a fairly quiet day and then it will be all systems go for Friday and Saturday.”
Scudamore has chosen Ballynagour over two other Pond House inmates in Soll (Conor O’Farrell), who has completed in two previous Nationals, and Vieux Lion Rouge (James Reveley).
He said: “It was a very tough decision as all three have a similar chance. Soll loves it round there, but is higher in the weights now, while Vieux Lion Rouge is an improving young horse.
Leading owners Gigginstown House Stud are set to have three runners, with retained rider Bryan Cooper having the choice of First Lieutenant, Rule The World and Sir Des Champs.
Gigginstown Stud manager Eddie O’Leary said: “Bryan will ride one, David Mullins will ride another and we’ll see who is available to ride the third horse.”
Nina Carberry is not expecting to have a ride if Knock House fails to make the cut. Carberry, who has completed the National course on four of her five rides, has partnered Mick Channon’s chaser twice this season, winning at Cheltenham in November and finishing fourth in the Kim Muir at the Festival last month.
However, he currently need two horses above him in the list to come out to get a run.
Carberry said: “Hopefully I’ll ride him [Knock House] if he gets in. You never know how they’ll take to it until they go, so we’ll see.”
Wednesday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
The day before an especially fascinating Grand National meeting is not really the time to engage in heroic punting but I have an interesting 14-1 shot for you at Catterick. Columbanus (4.05) is having his second run for Kenneth Slack, a trainer with the beginnings of quite a good general record and in particular for improving horses he gets from elsewhere.
This beast showed potential as a hurdler with Kevin Bishop over the winter but never quite got his nose in front. He has been ridden for his last six starts by Natalie Parker, an inexperienced amateur based at the Philip Hobbs yard, who steered a fairly wide course on at least a couple of those occasions.
Today, Columbanus returns to Flat racing for the first time since June, at which point he was with a trainer (S Wilson) who didn’t have a winner in the whole of 2015. Having initially shown some promise in Ireland in 2014, the five-year-old is down to a mark that will be very workable if Slack has been able to unlock his ability.
Columbanus should certainly be sharper than for his debut for Slack, over hurdles at Newcastle last month, which was his first start since December. I’m surprised to see the tongue tie come off but the cheekpieces are back on, so you can read those signals in a couple of ways. Jimmy Sullivan rides and I think they’re worth chancing in a race that lacks strength in depth.
Nottingham’s card has a handful of big names, though Clever Cookie is not really a backable price at 4-6. But there are possibilities in 100-30 about Greenside (4.25), who landed a similar race at Newmarket on his reappearance last year and can probably be forgiven his subsequent all-weather flop. He is Henry Candy’s first runner of the year, so stable form must be taken on trust, but Candy’s April record isn’t bad.
Skybet Grand National tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Draytonian 8-1
Dadsintrouble 20-1
Mustmeetalady 8-1
Tuesday
Stamp Hill 7-2
Almost Gemini 7-2
Tanarpino 7-1
And our leader is:
cornsay +24
… who, despite a winnerless Tuesday, retains what he describes as the unfamiliar role of front-runner. Bonzodrongo (+15) follows at a respectful distance, with the chasers on +7.50 being 23skidoo, Onion_Terror and BearRides.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 4.25 Nottingham, 4.35 Catterick, 6.15 Kempton.
This week’s prize, kindly offered by Skybet, is a £100 bet on this week’s Grand National!
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. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -6.
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!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
