Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
In the hope of getting you in the mood for the Grand National on Saturday, I share with you this video I stumbled across this morning, taken from a camera on the crash helmet of Ryan Mania, possibly the finest ex-jump jockey to have come out of Clovenfords, as he schools a horse over some Aintree-style fences in Yorkshire.
With the same aim in mind, here’s a piece I wrote years ago about the five most shocking first-fence fallers in the National. I think the list still stands up, not least because we’ve only had one faller at the first over the last two years. Possibly this particularly dismal experience will become less a part of the National, now that the fences are softer, but this piece might help you keep things in perspective if it happens to your fancy at the weekend. Can you remember, without looking, the first-fence faller who was nevertheless sent off favourite the following year?
I think John Gosden is in for a good day at Nottingham but I shall oppose his Sacred Act, favourite in the mile handicap, with Le Chat D’Or (4.10), a 7-1 shot who should love the soft ground prevailing there and is handicapped to go well if able to build on a good reappearance effort in Doncaster’s Spring Mile.
The going seems likely to be a major factor at Nottingham today and it draws me to Megaleka (3.10), even if she’d be better off in a handicap. She goes well on soft and she really seems to like Nottingham, having won three times and been a neck second once from five visits. She’s 15-2 and may have a fitness edge over a couple of these after recent all-weather runs.
Perceived (5.10) is worth a look at 9-2 for the closer, having won here on her handicap debut when last seen in October. The extra two furlongs should certainly suit on breeding.
Pick of the Catterick card may be Belle Nellie (2.50), another three-year-old filly who should hopefully be able to improve on what she showed last year. She stuck on well to be third of 14 when starting in handicaps in October, her most recent run. She’s 4-1.
Tipping competition, day two
Our winners so far:
Tuesday
Suprise Vendor 13-2
Some Article 20-1
Final Countdown 12-1
And our leaders are ...
wiggy12 +10
waltersobchak +10 (greedy!)
PHILYERBOOTS +10
Ormrod76 +10
DaveKerr91 +10
Elveden +10
TheVic +10
. . . who all had Final Countdown. No one had Some Article, though naturally the next three home in that race had all been picked by someone, including the fourth, whose odds were bigger. Shucks. Six of you had Suprise Vendor (and we didn’t insist on the spelling).
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 3.20 Catterick, 3.40 Nottingham, 5.10 Nottingham.
This week’s prize is a £50 bet on Saturday’s Grand National, kindly offered by William Hill. If, on Friday, you think you may have won, stand by your email as we will need to establish contact quickly in order to arrange your bet.
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 -3.
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!
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