Grand National index: All the links you need for the big race

Click here for all the latest odds on the biggest race of the year

OUR FAVOURITE FREE BET OFFER (more information here)
Boylesports are paying out six places each-way on the Grand National and are offering a no-strings-attached £20 free bet if you open an account and stake £10 on something.

THE BEST OF THE REST
£20 worth of free bets with Paddy Power, the kings of the money-back special!
£25 free bet with Betfair, who offer the biggest odds on almost everything!
£200 Free Bet Basket with Bet365, who pay out the SP if you take shorter odds!

THE ELIMINATOR
We used a five-step process of elimination to whittle down the contenders until there was just one horse standing: Darkness.

PROFILING THE FIELD
» chickendinner’s preview of this year’s frontrunners (Part One).
» chickendinner’s preview of this year’s frontrunners (Part Two).
» chickendinner’s guide to separating outsiders from no-hopers.

EVERYTHING ELSE
» How to best take advantage of Boylesport’s amazing offer.
» Extrabet.com’s preview of the Grand National spread markets.
» History dictates you should back Irish and avoid the French.
» Betfair make organising a Grand National sweepstake easy.

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

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

Grand National 2009: This year’s frontrunners (Part 1)

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…

» Red Rum was the last horse to win the Grand National in successive years and that was 35 years ago. No jockey or trainer has retained since then either which is bad news for Comply Or Die, Timmy Murphy and David Pipe.

» The last seven winners have all been Irish. Black Apalachi, Comply Or Die, Hear The Echo, Parsons Legacy and Irish Invader are the leading challengers from across the Irish Sea this year.

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

Struggling Portsmouth look to end Villa’s run of away wins

Portsmouth/Aston Villa, 8pm, Sky Sports 2, Free Bets, Best Odds

Photo Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Last season just three points separated these two sides but with sixteen to play, Portsmouth are already twenty short of Aston Villa this year. Both sides failed to impress against Championship opposition in the FA Cup but Martin O’Neill’s side are unbeaten in ten league games, although this is the first time this season they have been without their “genius” Ashley Young:

VILLA’S AWAY RECORD
Aston Villa have won five consecutive away games, something they had last achieved in May 1998. If they win tonight it will be the first time in Premier League history that they have won six in succession. Villa are one of only two clubs, the other being Bolton, who are yet to experience an away draw, which is odd considering they, alongside Liverpool, have drawn more home games than anyone else (five). Overall, Villa have won eight and lost three of their eleven on the road and they are 2.34 on Betfair to triumph again.

PORTSMOUTH’S WINLESS RUN
Pompey have gone six Premier League games without a win, although the last time they went longer than that without picking up three points was at the start of 2006 when Harry Redknapp led them through an eight game winless streak. The South Coast side have won just two of thirteen league games under Tony Adams.

VILLA AT FRATTON PARK

Posted: January 27th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Five reasons why Manchester United won’t beat Tottenham

Spurs/Man Utd, 5.30pm Sat, Setanta Spts 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

(Photo Credit: Martin Rickett, PA Wire)

There is more at stake for Tottenham’s players than the chance to earn the crowds’ adulation by giving Dimitar Berbatov a kick or two - they are defending an unbeaten record against the Big Four this season. Manchester United have their own proud seven-and-a-half year unbeaten streak over Spurs to protect. Of course the only way to maintain both sequences would be with a draw, which is 13/5 with 888sport and Boylesports. Here are five reasons why Spurs won’t be beaten:

1. Tottenham are unbeaten against the Big Four this season having drawn away to Arsenal and Chelsea and picked up home wins over Liverpool in both the Premier League and the Carling Cup.

2. The champions have won just one of their last eight away games in London. Besides a win against Fulham, the Red Devils have drawn twice and lost once at Chelsea, drawn and lost at Arsenal, drawn at Tottenham and lost to West Ham over the last nineteen months.

Posted: December 12th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment