Jamie Clark was Sports Editor of Coral bookmakers between 2014 and 2017 during their merger with Labrokes and a key period for the British betting industry. Working as a bookie’s runner on the point to point circuit in the Midlands and at Market Rasen Racecourse where his late godfather had a trackside pitch growing up, he has had ties to horse racing all of his life. A regular visitor to Cheltenham during the National Hunt season and York over the summer, he has been involved in Horsebetting.com since its inception. Jamie now brings you his take on major news stories from the racing world and those all-important betting tips.
2021 Grand National betting tips – Burrows Saint your best bet
The Grand National is the world’s most famous steeplechase and the feature race at Aintree this Saturday (17:15). It’s as wide open as ever and more so than the betting suggests, but Burrows Saint has been laid out for it. Trained by Willie Mullins for Rich and Susannah Ricci, the eight-year-old won the Irish equivalent at Fairyhouse in 2019.
Connections have had the Grand National in mind for the Saint Des Saints gelding ever since. That has meant Burrows Saint has largely run over hurdles in the meantime so as to preserve his mark. He jumped fences for the first time in 14 months in the Bobbyjo Chase back at Fairyhouse last time out when chasing home re-opposing stable companion Acapella Bourgeois.
Mullins insists that Burrows Saint will come on for that return to the larger obstacles here. Obviously, he will need to. A Grand National rating of 156 gives him a nice racing weight of 10st 13lb. Crack amateur jockey Patrick Mullins slims down to take the ride with Paul Townend injured at Fairyhouse over the Easter weekend.
Mullins not only knows what it takes to the win this, but has a fine recent record of getting horses placed. Taking all that into account, Burrows Saint has plenty going for him if taking to the famous fences. Odds of 10/1 with Betfred, who pay eight places, reflect his claims with all our Grand National betting tips advised each-way.
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Cloth Cap is officially 14lb well-in to the race, so it’s no wonder he heads the market. Representing trainer Jonjo O’Neill and owner Trevor Hemmings, both know plenty about Aintree glory. Cloth Cap will love the good ground on Merseyside, but you can’t call him value at the odds on offer even if he’s chucked in.
Instead, leading Irish owner JP McManus has a very strong hand on paper. His famous green and gold hoops will be carried by seven runners this year. Of those, Kimberlite Candy and Minella Times both have considerable claims. The former is a dual runner-up in the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences for trainer Tom Lacey.
Kimerblite Candy has also won Warwick’s Classic Chase in 2020 and had this race as his target last spring before the pandemic hit. In an ideal world, the ground would be a little bit softer but, with stamina assured, he would be foolish to ignore at 14/1 with Betfred here.
Minella Times saw a major ante post plunge take place on him. Punters may look wistfully at the 40/1 and bigger you could have had a few weeks back. He represents Cheltenham Festival revelations Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore here. Minella Times is unexposed as a stayer, so could have a say in the finish at 11/1 with the same firm.
Don’t ignore Cross Country form for Grand National
It may be in vain, but I’m hoping and praying that first reserve Some Neck can sneak into the Grand National field at the foot of the weights. Since leaving the Mullins stable, this John McConnell trained 10-year-old has run two fine races over Cheltenham’s Cross Country course.
Some Neck demonstrated superb stamina to get up and land a handicap there in December. He also ran up to market expectation when third at the Festival behind Tiger Roll and Easysland. Neither of those re-oppose in the Grand National, but the feather weight he has and odds of 40/1 with bet365 about Some Neck are attractive if by some chance he does get in.
Alpha Des Obeaux is a guaranteed runner, meanwhile, and shaped well over these fences in the 2019 Becher. Although racing off a 7lb higher rating than his official mark here, Gigginstown House Stud’s 11-year-old was only a couple of lengths behind Some Neck when fourth in the Cross Country.
Connections have turned to Jody McGarvey for the ride here. He is on a high after a memorable Grade 1 double at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday. With a confident jockey aboard, and because he should stay on when others cry enough, Alpha Des Obeaux could easily outrun odds of 66/1 with Unibet in the Grand National.
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