The Grand National is the ultimate test of horses in the National Hunt season. Trainers and jockeys descend on Aintree in the hope of etching their place in history, putting their charge into the brightest of lights on the jumps racing circuit.
One For Arthur rose to prominence last year to win the event with a fine performance. However, he will miss the race this term due to injury, opening up the opportunity for a new competitor to rise to the challenge. There are a number of excellent horses that will be vying for the crown, who will be aiming to join an elite group by triumphing on 14th April.
Blaklion
Blaklion – class act! pic.twitter.com/z6BJJ2Q5JR
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 9, 2017
The bay gelding was one of the competitors defeated by One For Arthur in the Randox Health Grand National last season. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge was considered the favourite for the meet but could not rise to the occasion and placed fourth, finishing well off the pace of the triumphant horse. He returned to action for the 2017/18 campaign in the Charlie Hall Chase, only to be narrowly beaten out by his stable-mate Bristol De Mai at Wetherby Racecourse.
However, Blaklion made a statement at Aintree before Christmas to win the Becher Handicap Chase, finishing nine lengths ahead of his nearest rival. In the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Haydock Park, the nine-year was expected to secure another victory, only to suffer a massive defeat at the hands of Yala Enki, although he was only one of three horses to finish the meet in tough conditions. As of March 7, Blaklion is still considered one of the leading contenders for the National with horse racing betting sites like Bet way due to his performance at Aintree in the Becher but he will need to produce his best form with Sam Twiston-Davies in the saddle.
Definitly Red
The Irish horse also competed at the National last term but failed to finish the event. Brian Ellison’s charge was one of the leading contenders for the crown, only to succumb at the ninth fence after initially struggling at Becher’s fence. He competed against Blaklion at the Charlie Hall Chase and, although he put forward a solid outing in third place, the pace of Bristol De Mai was his undoing.
Ellison decided against sending the horse into the Becher Handicap Chase, opting instead for the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree Racecourse. The decision paid dividends as Danny Cook rode a fine race to guide the bay gelding to a comfortable victory over the rest of the field, finishing seven lengths ahead of his nearest rival.
Definitly Red faced off against Bristol De Mai once again at the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham Racecourse at the end of January. Due to his triumph at Wetherby, the French horse was considered the favourite for the meet. However, with Cook at the reins, Ellison’s charge delivered another fine performance, pulling away down the stretch to secure an eight-length victory ahead of American. The Irish horse has the potential to deliver at the National but will need a flawless outing.
Cause Of Causes
The bay gelding was one of the few horses to compete at the Cheltenham Festival and the National last season. His appearance at Cheltenham ended in triumph at the Cross Country Chase as Gordon Elliott’s charge was able to secure the victory by nine lengths ahead of his stable-mate Bless The Wings. Elliott put his horse forward for the National on the back of that success and was an outside challenge for the event. He pushed One For Arthur the closest down the stretch run, putting pressure on at the last fence, although Lucinda Russell’s charge had enough to beat him down the straight.
Cause of Causes still had a solid outing to place in second but Elliott will be eyeing a victory in 2018. The 10-year-old has raced only once since the National but it was a poor outing at the Chanelle Pharma Handicap Chase, finishing all the way down in 15th. Elliott will not be overly concerned but he may be tempted to put the American horse in action before the meet at Aintree in order to sharpen up his form. He has the experience and the endurance but whether it’s enough to secure the victory is another matter.