Aintree’s Grand National meeting gets underway on Thursday, and Andrew Mount heralds it with four best bets across the cards.
Back his selections with BetMGM’s HUGE new customer offer of £40 in Free Bets when you deposit and bet £10!
Posted: 10.30am, Wednesday, April 10th
2.55 Aintree – THUNDER ROCK (1.5pt ew – 35-1 Paddy Power, 33-1 Coral, both three places)
Size matters where the Olly Murphy-trained THUNDER ROCK is concerned, as his jumping tends to go to pieces in big fields. He pulled up when favourite for the 12-runner December Gold Cup at Cheltenham but found only one too good in an eight-runner line-up at Musselburgh next time when given too much to do and got back on the winning trail in the seven-runner Premier Chase at Kelso last time when tipped in this column. His record in single-figure line-ups now reads 12111111332121 (9-14) for a profit of £12.03 to a £1 level stake at SP. He has his stamina to prove but his sole previous run over 3m+ came in a field of ten runners (when sixth in last season’s Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham festival) and he jumped moderately. It’s also arguable that Cheltenham doesn’t suit – his record there now reads 36P (0-3) – and he’ll be at home on today’s flat course. Throw in the fact that he has the best last-time out speed figure (according to Proform’s ratings) and he looks vastly over-priced, especially if you can be on with the firms offering three places).
4.15 Southwell – LION TOWER (2pt win – 8-1 bet365)
LION TOWER did too much too soon into the headwind on Lincoln Day at Doncaster last time, pressing early leader Harswell Duke in the Spring Mile before fading into a 28-1 eleventh of 18. Harswell Duke was just a neck ahead of him in tenth and he came out to run a good race at Pontefract next time, finishing a best-of-the-closers 10-1 third (quite why they chose to abandon his usual forcing tactics on a pace-favouring track is anyone’s guess). Lion Tower was second by a neck over 7f at 22-1 at Newcastle on his latest all-weather assignment and the return to that trip (seven of his eight wins have come over 7f or shorter) on Tapeta is a big plus.
4.40 Aintree – BLACK GERRY (1pt ew – 25-1 generally)
4.40 Aintree – WHISKEYWEALTH (1pt ew – 12-1 bet365)
Horses who contested the Grand Annual handicap chase at the Cheltenham festival have a poor recent record in the Red Rum, with just one winner from 63 runners since 2010. That’s bad news for backers of Saint Roi, Unexpected Party and Path Doroux, the front three in the market at the time of writing. I’m talking them on with BLACK GERRY and WHISKEYWEALTH (and I will also save on Bythesametoken). Black Gerry returned to form with a 20-1 second in a Class 2 handicap chase at Plumpton last time and now has form figures from March to May of 12111F2 (4-7) for a profit of £12.63 to a £1 level stake at SP. Gary Moore’s nine-year-old will be suited by the sharp Mildmay course. Irish raider Whiskywealth tends to jump out to his left but still managed to score at right-handed Gowran Park on heavy ground last time. He’s yet to race this way round over fences and it could bring about major improvement. His record om officially heavy going in the past two seasons reads 111 (3-3).
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets
2.55 Aintree – THUNDER ROCK (1.5pt ew – 35-1 Paddy Power, 33-1 Coral, both three places)
4.15 Southwell – LION TOWER (2pt win – 8-1 bet365)
4.40 Aintree – BLACK GERRY (1pt ew – 25-1 generally)
4.40 Aintree – WHISKEYWEALTH (1pt ew – 12-1 bet365)
Andrew Mount’s tips for Thursday, 11th April 2024.
Andrew Mount’s Myth Busters – Foaling Dates Determine Early-Season Two-Year-Old Races
The flat season is full of races at this time of year in which no horse has ever run before. For many, there can be minor clues found in the date a juvenile runner was born, but Andrew Mount looks to test that theory in his latest Myth Busters column below. Racehorses are allocated the…
Wed 03 Apr 2024Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.