Category: 
We figured that this year we might as well get the news out of the way early. Unlike some bookies, we’ll be paying FIVE places in the Aintree Grand National. Let’s be honest, it’s tough enough picking a winner in this event - punters need all the help they can get!
When it comes to picking a winner I’m not going to make any promises, but you’d have to say that joint favourites Hear The Echo and Butlers Cabin are both decent chances at 14/1. Butlers Cabin was going well last year and looked like landing Tony McCoy a first National win. But it wasn’t to be. Meanwhile Hear The Echo won the Irish Grand National last year and looks like he’s in it to win it.
If you want a bit more value take a serious look at My Will (25/1) who can probably improve on his run in the Hennessey and Kilbeggan Blade (33/1), a horse who looks to be aimed at this race and has won on his last three outings…
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February 10th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
would say black apalachi has a chance - just needs a bit of cut in the ground.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
i think SNOWY MORNING will strom home to win the National by 6 lenghts.good luck guys,,Champagne all around on the day:):):)
February 10th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
silver birch will win all the way as usual
February 10th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
i think mick the man will win after he wins the gold cup if he does not win ill pay losing bets ive all ready have my 5000 so go have urs be rich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ps cousin vinny certainty sunday according to big wille and never back noel meades horses again worst trainer of all time used to train mick the man and could not win over hurdles new trainer get him ready for gold cup
February 10th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
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February 10th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Will Garde Champetre seriously run in the Grand National?
February 11th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
ya he is running and will def make the top 5…..i fancy abbeybraney aswell 2 good each way bets!!
February 12th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Kilbeggan Blade, lovely racing weight
February 12th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
paddy come off the stage and take your finger out of your Hole if you want to give people a chance go no runner no bet,at least we can start betting on it now ;your not looking for anypublic relations officers are ye.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
I think southern vic will have a good chance.If ruby rides for his father at least there will be a decent pilot on board????????
February 13th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Hear the Echo Butlers Cabin My Will King Johns Castle and Kilbeggan Blade if he gets in are my 5 as PP are paying 5 places you need a few selections
Betting Plan as Follows
2.5 pts E/W Hear The Echo
2pts E/W My Will
1pt E/W Butlers Cabin King Johns Castle and Kilbeegan Blade
February 13th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I’m sure you are not happy with the weight on Hear the Echo Sully
February 13th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Not really but its a lottery isnt it.And I wouldnt be surprised if Mouse has something up his sleeve.What trainer is openly going to admit they are happy lets hope he drifts to 20s
February 14th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
king johns castle, butlers cabin, dear villez
February 15th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Paddy HELLO are you not hearing THE PUBLIC OR NOT (NO RUNNER NO BET ) i do realise people like me are a pain in the hole but its nice to be nice are you a nice man or what ,now Paddy do you want me to start a petition or have you the G U T S to do it lets hear from you are or you Gutless.
February 16th, 2009 at 10:17 am
The War will win if he turns up
March 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
none of you have said owt about comply or die last year’s winner go against him at your perill
March 19th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
my tip for grand national is priests leap and black alpachi and the outside value bet has to be hot weld who won the scottish national 07. at 50/1 oppened at 80/1 thats what i am betting on lets hope i get a return i think priests leap will be hard to beat
March 20th, 2009 at 8:06 am
only 3 possible winners of the national this year:
kilbeggan blade (2pts e/w)
state of play (1pt win)
offshore account (0.5pts e/w)
the others have no chance
March 20th, 2009 at 9:40 am
going by ur cheltenham tips tonton thats 3 we can rule out of national so
tonton LOL.thx
March 20th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Rambling Minster,
State of Play
and a couple of outsiders in Darkness and Brooklyn Brownie
I would put my house on Rambling to win. Come on RAMBO
March 26th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Heard a lot of people say they’ll put their house on Rambling Minster! I know house prices have come down a bit recently but a bit of a gamble!!
Rambling Minster is normally held up and considering that there could be 30-40 horses in front of him for a lot of the race its a risky bet.
Most of the recent winners have raced at or near the head of the field which helps to avoid trouble.
I know Rambo has a near perfect form profie from past winners http://www.grand-national-guide.co.uk/Rambling_Minster.htm but people seem to be excluding many better horses just becuase he fits these trends better than most.
March 26th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
It is NOT a lottery any more since they lowered the fences and there a definate trends, so look on the grand national trends sites. I had the winner last year and the main trends are 1) be very brave and cross out every horse carrying 11st or more, so that the top 18 gone straight away .No horse has won it 2 years running since red rum over 30 years ago. winner will carry between about 10-3 and 10-12. No outsider wins anymore, Siver Birch beingthe highest in recent years at 33/1 and that bucked the trend. Winner usually 20/1 or less. Having done my eliminating heres my forecast ..1) Rambling Minister,
2) Character Buiding, 3) Kilbeggan Blade..fill yer boots friends
March 26th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
benny - seem to remember my nap of the festival was dunguib, and i also put up weapons amnesty - out of about 4 or 5 horses i put up, there’s 2 winners for you. they were about 6/1 and 12/1 when i put them up (i was already on at 7s and 14s) so wind your neck ye mug.
not sure about rambling minster. should have a chance as he’ll stay for fun, but based on london national form with kilbeggan blade, i can’t understand why he’s half the price of kilbeggan - who gave him weight and a 5 length beating and now receives weight.
very very confident about kilbeggan - massive chance. graham lee booked. i bet AP wishes he could ride this good thing.
benny - you going to tip that one up now - feeding on the crumbs that fall from my table again eh?
March 26th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
i cant believe anyone would do a serious punt on the national, its like the lottery . my advise is pick a name and put a few quid on it and enjoy. anyone who thinks they have a cert for this race is greatly mistaking. as for your 5th place pay out ,i would prefer it if you got your money back if your horse falls before the 10th fence, this way my interest might last longer than 1 minute.
March 30th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Thirsty It is not a lottery anymore. Yes freak results do happen on the rare occasion but thats why they are called freak results.
If you check out the trends for the national winners then you can narrow the field down to a handful of realistic chances. It will not however give you the name of the winner as some people claim it does. It will give you a short list of names of who can win.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
brian - totally agree - that’s what i did and came up with kilbeggan blade, state of play and offshore account.
i can see what you mean about rambling minster - guaranteed to stay and ticks many boxes for this - but just don’t like the fact that kilbeggan gave him weight and a beating at sandown in the london national and is now receiving weight from him.
i’m not keen at all on darkness’s jumping - but based on novice form he’s well in. personally think he’s better in small fields.
agree with you about state of play - although he’s due to carry 11-2 i don’t think this is a problem as bottom weight will probably be 10-5 - so he’s only 11lbs above bottom weight - which isn’t too bad - plus he has a touch class about him and evan williams says he’s got him spot on.
not sure what to make of brooklyn brownie. never a huge fan of horses that are campaigned in the summer but decent form with snoopy loopy and has had a good break before him warm up run at wetherby. must have a chance i guess.
anyway - good luck everyone!
March 31st, 2009 at 10:43 am
Thank you tonton.
The reason i went for Rambling Minster rather than Kilbeggan is that i believe that if the london national had just been that bit longer then i think Rambling Minster would of caught him plus i believe kilbeggan goes best on softer ground and think the ground will be too quick for him.
Guess thats why racing is such a good sport as 2 people can watch a race and have 2 completly different views on it and still no-one will ever know which one is right ha ha.
Anyway best of luck to you as well and for both of our sakes lets hope SOP does something.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:01 pm
priests leap has a great chance. shop around for a good price i got 66-1 but others offer at 33-1 and i expect that will shorten nearer the time! has good form will stay the distance, good jumper! get on!?
April 1st, 2009 at 5:01 am
it is probably the worst national field in a very long time……. the quality just is nt there…. ittakes a special horse to win it … some of the key facts i think are that a winning horse needs to be laid out for this all year… and must be very fresh… i would rule out my will… ran a very credible 5th in the gold cup but that was a tough race for him and i also doubt if he ll stay the trip… 6 or 7 to 1 represents bad value for money in my book… black aplalachi has taken three years to get back to his best since winning the paddy power at leopardtown to absolutely trouncing opposition by some 74 lengths at aintree earlier in the season…. people say he needs a cut in the ground….. but he wont be too far away…. another one for consideration is state of play ,,, a former hennessy winner who has won at aintree before who has had a very light campain this year and is running off a very attractive weight.. hedgehunter was only the first horse to carry more that 11 st since corbiere in 1983,,,,, it could happen again….
here s my selections for the race
1. state of play 2. black apalachi 3. cornish sett
April 1st, 2009 at 10:03 am
barry - how on earth can it be the worst national field in a very long time?!?!
this year, top weight cloudy lane runs off a mark of 158. this compares to top weights in previous years:
2008 - hedgehunter & hi cloy 156
2007 - hedgehunter 158
2006 - hedgehunter & royal au clair 156
2005 - le coudray 155
2004 - le coudray 155
2003 - behrajan 158
2002 - markborough 158
2001 - beau 153
2000 - young kenny 155
this year there are 13 horses (even after WOA’s defection although 1 or 2 may come out) running off a mark of 150+ this compares to:
2008 - 7
2007 - 6
2006 - 6
2005 - 2
2004 - 6
2003 - 5
2002 - 4
2001 - 1
2000 - 3
in addition this year, we have 2 former winners, 1 hennessy winner, 2 charlie hall winners, 3 placed horses in the RSA chase, 2 irish national winners, 4 festival winners and countless graded winners. i would personally say this is actually the best national field in a VERY VERY long time!
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
GARY - Knows what he’s talking about. Listen to him.
I come out for a National punt once a year and even I know to cross out anything carrying over 11stone (nothing under 8yo, proven winning form over 3m etc etc) Why oh why do people persist in tipping horses carrying 11stone+? Fine by me, just makes the odds on the horses that can actually win more favourable.
I’m hoping to make it 5th win in a row this year. Good luck all xx