Grand National 2009: This year’s frontrunners (Part 2)

15 of the last 18 winners have started at 20/1 or less. That means there are eleven major contenders: My Will, Butler’s Cabin, Rambling Minster, State of Play, Black Apalachi, Comply Or Die, Hear The Echo, Parsons Legacy, Irish Invader, Kilbeggan Blade and the chickendinner pick Darkness…

» Just one horse in the last twenty years has carried eleven stones or more to victory - Hedgehunter (2005) - which doesn’t bode well for My Will, State of Play, Black Apalachi, Comply or Die and Hear The Echo, who were all dealt with harshly by the handicapper.

» Rambling Minster and Parsons Legacy are hampered by the fact only two horses aged eleven or older have won in the last 13 years.

Posted: April 3rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Queen’s horse Barbers Shop could be a Gold Cup King

Click here to claim a free £25 bet with Paddy Power

We’ve already revealed why we think Neptune Collonges offers good value tomorrow (check the Best Bets panel on your right) but here’s why Barbers Shop is the best of the non Paul Nicholls-trained horses:

BAD NEWS FOR KAUTO STAR!
Four of the last six Gold Cups were won by the favourite but ahead of the final day of the Cheltenham Festival nine successive races have passed without one winning, while two of the three feature race frontrunners have underperformed.

Good omens for Barbers Shop:
» He’s a seven-year-old, as were three of the last four winners.
» His jockey Barry Geraghty won the Champion Hurdle on 22/1 Punjabi.
» He’s won in various conditions so the weather shouldn’t affect him.
» He was placed at last year’s Festival, as were 9 of the last 11 winners.
» Nicky Henderson has had more Cheltenham winners than any other current trainer.

Paddy Power are paying FOUR PLACES each-way on Friday’s 1.30pm race and FIVE PLACES each-way on the 2.05pm!

Posted: March 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment