A cracking day for us at Aintree yesterday with the 2 tip races delivering 2 nice winners with Kateira winning the big handicap Hurdle at 5/1 SP and Arizona Cardinal who was advised at 14/1 winning the Topham Chase at 20/1 SP with strongly tipped James De Berlias runner up at 6/1 SP and a great run from one of the shrapnel suggestions Celebre D'Allen who was advised at 33/1 , finished 4th at 28/1 and just beaten for 3rd place by the legendary "gnats ball" to deny a possible bumper Tricast that would have topped the over £1300 paid out with a 10/1 shot just beating Celebre D'Allen. 

 

The results as well as being very welcome also backed up the analysis of the Going conditions on both The Mildmay Hurdles Course and the Grand National Course and the suggestion that tactically it is ideal to be just off the pace but not too far back on what is very tacky ground. 

 

Today we'll attack the Handicap Hurdle at 2.20 and the Grand National at 4.00.

 

The usual format for the Hurdle Race which I'll tip and analyse and as we always do for The National and with enhanced places to 7th / 8th place, each of out Tipping Panel will give you their 1-2 and we'll then combine that in to our suggested top 6 and for those who want a crafty quid each way on something at a very big price, a couple of suggestions for that too.

 

As always thought the usual "Health Warning" about the National. It is what it is, a lottery, you need an awful lot of luck in running as many horses won't get the trip and you can be on one who does and get caught in traffic, stopped dead by a faller in front of you and also the risk of being taken out by a riderless horse. I always think the race really begins at The Canal Turn second time round as the cream rises from the froth and you can begin to see the shape of the actual race. I believe you need to be handy, not a sitting duck right at the front where the likes of Coko Beach will lead for a long way, but be ready to make a move if you have got to the 3 and a half mile point intact and going well. Rhythm as always is key and proven stamina a massive asset.

 

The biggest positive for me is that they have moved that first fence 60 yards nearer the start, that means horses will approach it at a considerably slower speed than in the past and will be more balanced and more set than has always been the case, which is why we have so often seen carnage at that first jump. A wise move long overdue but to be applauded.