GRAND NATIONAL
IT’S the biggest day in the horse racing calen and Racemail’s expert analyst, PETER SCUDAM an eight-time champion jockey, gives his verd on today’s Aintree showpiece
Peter Scudamore gives his top tips on Pages 56-57
RACE TIME: 4.15pm l TV TIME: BBC1, 1pm DISTANCE: 4½ miles l FENCES: 30
AN incredible sporting afternoon for Merseyside sees Blue pitted against Red as Everton take on Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley but I believe blue — or more precisely Bleu — will be the colour at Aintree with Cappa Bleu winning the £975,000 John Smith’s Grand National.
Cappa Bleu (pictured right) at 10 is the same age as four of the last six winners and looks to have the perfect profile to be the first Welsh-trained winner of the race since Kirkland in 1905.
Good enough to win at the Cheltenham Festival in 2009, my selection has relatively few miles on the clock and he has only raced seven times since. Trainer Evan Williams admits he has been hard to train but feels he has got it right this season and recent form bears that out. He won at Haydock in November and ran an eyecatching third at Ascot in February. In between, he filled the same position in the Welsh National at Chepstow on ground much too soft for him.
The rain has skirted around Aintree since the beginning of the week so conditions will be much more in he has an up-and done well with th the race — State he has finished th tries again this af stable jockey Pau Cappa Bleu. My son Tom has
his favour and in Williams d-coming trainer who has he one horse he has run in of Play. In three attempts hird and fourth twice and fternoon but, significantly, ul Moloney opts to partners a great chance of winning a prize that eluded me. He rides Junior, a quality performer trained by David Pipe who has won at both Royal Ascot on the Flat and over jumps at the Cheltenham Festival. Drier ground is also a plus for him.
Synchronised, the mount of champion jockey AP Mccoy, is the best horse in the race, having won last month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, but I fear top weight of 11st 10lb will be too much.
Katie Walsh, sister of Aintree’s most successful rider Ruby, is on Seabass trained by her father Ted, but I marginally side with her sister-in-law Nina Carberry, who rides the 2011 Irish National winner Organisedconfusion.
The catchily-named Shakalakaboomboom will attract plenty of cash and has a decent chance.
But for those who like a real longshot, the best option could be 80-1 shot Deep Purple, who is also is also trained by Williams. He is well-handicapped and has a touch of class.