THE Randox Grand National 2024 has a maximum field of 34 runners with the 2023 winner Corach Rambler Unibet 13/2 favourite on Friday afternoon. Corach Rambler should be in any shortlist of course, however he ran a mighty race in his first Gold Cup to finish third and this may have left a mark, as well as him having running 13lbs higher than last season.
The weather forecast has been a focal point, and it is likely to be a combination of soft/heavy going, with some areas of the national course more testing than others. In recent years conditions have been mainly good to soft and this year’s renewal will be more about the true stayers, with those on the lower weights looking to play a big part.
Enjoy whether at Aintree or watching on ITV Racing or Racing TV.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
1.20 Aintree – Handicap Hurdle (3m)
Lord Snootie ran dismally at Uttoxeter last time where the excuse given (and it’s probably valid) was that he resented the tongue tie, and it did look for much of the contest like something was bothering him, as he wouldn’t race properly at all. His previous second to Cuthbert Dibble at Haydock has been shown to be solid form by the winner, as he went on to finish third in the Pertemps Final, and with a 4lb turnaround for half a length, there’s little between the two today. He is definitely worth another chance to show that the Uttoxeter form was all wrong.
Unibet are paying MONEY BACK as CASH if your pick finishes 2nd or 3rd in this one!
2.30 Aintree – Handicap Chase (3m 1f)
Twig disproved the theory that he needs good ground by putting in a career-best in the Ultima, when finishing a 4½ length second to Chianti Classico and looking an improved horse into the bargain. Lightly raced for a 9-y-o, this will only be his ninth chase start, and there’s no saying we have reached his ceiling as yet.
Unibet are paying an EXTRA PLACE in this race!
4.00 Aintree – Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (4m 2½f)
Mahler Mission (nap) hasn’t been seen since finishing second in the big handicap chase at Newbury in December to the Datsalrightgino when they finished clear of the rest. It is important to reference his performance in the soft in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in 2023 run over 3m 6f when clear until falling at the second last when looking the winner. This second season chaser is a really likeable, classy type, who has won on soft/yielding and will have no problem with this marathon trip.
Unibet are paying TWO EXTRA PLACES in The Grand National!
Panda Boy looks to have been laid out for this, with a good second to Meetingofthewaters at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and meets him on 11lb better terms here. He warmed up for this with a close fourth in a very competitive handicap hurdle at Leopardstown last month doing plenty of good work late on. This kept his mark down just nicely too and with a dry Friday the ground should dry back to soft, which looks absolutely ideal.
Kitty’s Light is right down the bottom of the handicap and this winner of the Scottish National, the big handicap chase at Sandown and the Eider Chase would be near favouritism if the ground conditions were good. This is clearly a concern, however the ground doesn’t appear to be as testing as everyone expected, which with the fact he is very much a spring horse puts him in the picture to reward each way players.
Latenightpass loves Aintree having won the Foxhunters’ in 2022 and finished second and fourth on two other occasions. He has showed he likes the cross-country course at Cheltenham finshing second in November and then beating Francky du Berlais in December when really staying on well. He then had a run over hurdles in February when fifth and looking like he needed the appearance. Latenightpass will strip much fitter and returning to his favourite racecourse he has a live chance for each way players.
Adamantly Chosen is one of five seven-year-olds in the field and he looked really impressive when easily drawing clear as he liked to beat Roi Mage by 14 lengths over 3m 2f at Down Royal in February. Let’s remember Noble Yeats was a seven-year-old when winning in 2022 and Adamantly Chosen is a lively outsider.
5.00 Aintree – My Pension Expert Maghull Novices’ Chase Grade 1 (2m)
Etalon throws away what looks a potentially lenient mark of 142 to chance his arm at Grade 1 level and the hint should be taken. Has barely come off the bridle to win three chases on the bounce this season at Newbury, Warwick and Sandown when favourite in each race. There’s simply no saying how much he has left in the locker and he has a tremendous chance here stepping up to Grade 1 company.
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