Grand National 2011 Preview & Predictions are a great way to try and gain an advantage in picking out a winner, or at least a place finish from the field of 40 runners. This is the most famous race in the UK racing calendar, as the highlight of the Aintree Festival gets underway at 4.15pm on Saturday, April 9th. This year’s renewal is almost here and over £200 million worth of trading is expected to be taken at the Aintree Festival this year. This is a massive weekend for horse racing and the charm and appeal of the 4 mile 4 furlong steeplechase, draws in seasoned punters and causal bettors alike. It is one of the great spectacles in sport and here we take a look at some of the tips to go with for your horse racing betting.
Predictions for The Favourites
The ante post betting thus far has been a pretty tight affair with a clear move at the front of the betting made by The Midnight Club. While he has been a favourite in the betting for the 2011 Grand National for some time, his odds have been cut since the announced that Ruby Walsh was taking the ride, and that draw a lot of extra punts on him. So now, while he is mostly posting at 8/1 across the board, online bookmaker SportingBet are still offering good value at 10/1 on The Midnight Club right now. The winner of the Bobbyjo chase at Fairyhouse in February looks to be in pretty good shape. Hot on his tail though, and having been trading at an equal price at The Midnight Club, Backstage has not been without his fair share of attention. Being trained by Gordon Elliott, who trained Silver Birch back in 2007’s renewal, Backstage, 12/1 at SkyBet, looks an awkward jumper in style, but he gets the job done. A win for Backstage would really emulate Silver Birch’s effort for Elliott, as the young trainer has a knack of getting the best out of horses like these, where others have not had success. Both of these are great value for your 2011 Grand National betting.
Favourites Tip: Backstage – just looks to be so well prepared
The Chasing Pack
Other horses trading at around the same price range in the mid teens at BetFair are What A Friend, Oscar Time, Silver By Nature, Don’t Push It, Ballabriggs, Big Fella Thanks and Niche Market. Of these runners a great, unassuming shot at landing a great finish is Niche Market for a solid price of 18/1 at William Hill. These are the runners who are making up a strong chasing pack, and with the unpredictability of the race, Grand National 2011 Preview & Predictions should always cast a firm eye over the horses running between 12/1 and 20/1. These are genuinely good, solid runners and jumpers, and while all of them will have something, be it weight, inexperience, age or form working against them, they still represent great value. These are the kind of horses which you want to look at firmly for your each way betting, and with Paddy Power paying out to five places for the Grand National, they are well worth considering. Oscar Time looks a genuine threat if he gets a solid start, because he won’t care what the conditions under foot are. Alex Ferguson’s What A Friend is being hotly tipped, but looks like an inexperienced package at just 8 years old.
Chasing Pack Tip: Niche Market – think he is going to go close for Paul Nicholls
The Outsiders
Remember Mon Mome in 2009, the only French horse to win in a over a century at the Grand National, who came in at 100/1. Upsets really are few and far between, but they do happen. Picking an outsider from a field of 40 is challenge in itself, and this where you don’t mind pulling out a 50/1 shot from your office sweepstakes. However, serious money going doing on the long odds punt in your Grand National 2011 Preview & Predictions take a little more study. We are not going as big as Mon Mome, but still taking a look at outsiders. Have always liked Tidal Bay (40/1 at Totesport) as he has a decent history at Aintree, but also going to look Always Waining for 66/1 with Totesport. These really out outside shots here, and would be a big surprise not to see one of the players from the Chasing Pack or Favourites cross the line first.
Outsiders Tip: Tidal Bay – just because of liking Aintree
