The Cheltenham Festival is over but quick on the heels of Prestbury is the Grand National meeting. Despite the short gap between the pair, five of the last eight winners of the most famous race in the world had their final run before Aintree at the Festival.
Pineau De Re was seen in the Pertemps Final and Many Clouds ran in the Gold Cup before heading to Aintree. Tiger Roll won the Cross Country twice ahead of his victories and last year’s winner Noble Yeats contested the Ultima at Cheltenham before going on to land the biggest handicap in the world. Let’s take a look at this year’s fancy at this stage!
We don’t know at this point whether Venetia Williams intends to run Royale Pagaille in the Grand National, but we certainly think he is good enough and well treated enough to take his chance. He travelled quite nicely for a long way when sixth to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but his chances were scuppered when he tripped over a faller at the top of the hill. Who knows where he could have finished but he may well have been placed but for that.
The obvious contenders for the Grand National are Corach Rambler, Delta Work and Galvin, but there’s no juice in their price at all. The National course is normally a touch softer than the Mildmay so we are looking for a horse who doesn’t mind a bit of cut in the ground and Royale Pagaille could be the answer. Let’s hope Venetia and connections decide to go for it!
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