With the 2011 Grand National less than two weeks away, many of the leading jockeys are being booked to ride in World famous race and as they do, the picture of who are the most fancied horses becomes a little more clear and the mounts of the leading jockeys will always influence where the money goes as it provides a useful indicator on the chances of the various runners.
With the news that jockey Ruby Walsh will partner The Midnight Club for trainer Willie Mullins in the Aintree Grand National, the market once again shortened the price on the horse which is now as short as 8/1 and is the clear favourite. Mullins who still has a good few in the race will not have services of his number two jockey, Paul Townend.
The decision means that Harry Skelton will get the ride on Niche Market for Paul Nicholls thus reuniting with the horse that he steered to success in the Irish Grand National two years ago at Fairyhouse. It is hard to gauge how Nicholls feels about Walsh’s decision, but he remains upbeat about the chances of the horse, confirming that Niche Market was in great shape at home. He has also attracted antepost support and has been backed in to around the 16/1 mark.
Nicholls of course has several entries still left in the race, with his What A Friend, recent fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup attracting the most attention as far as the antepost market for the race is concerned. He will be well in at the weights at Aintree and will Daryl Jacob on board as he did at Cheltenham and is currently around the 10/1 mark to win the race.
Of the remaining Nicholls entries, The Tother One at 33/1 is a solid jumper, but has not shown good enough form to win a race like this. It is highly likely that he will be ridden by amateur, Ryan Mahon, who rode him in the Hennessey Gold Cup last November where he finished in a creditable fourth behind Diamond Harry. A place is a distinct possibility.
Ornais, currently a 100/1 shot to win the race has just had a couple of spins in hunter chases where he ran well both times without winning. Before that he won the Paddy Power Graduation Chase at Cheltenham on soft ground by 8 lengths from the hot odds on favourite, Battlecry and none other than Niche Market. If Mahon does not ride The Tother One then it is likely Nicholls will book him to partner Ornais, a horse he knows very well.
Other known bookings include Sam Waley-Cohen (winning jockey in the 2011 Cheltenham Gold Cup) who will partner his father’s horse, Oscar Time, for trainer Martin Lynch. Oscar Time is not without his supporters either after finishing fifth behind The Midnight Club in last month’s Grade Two, Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. It would be a remarkable feat should Waley-Cohen win this having already claimed the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Long Run.
Jason Maguire will partner Ballabriggs another big fancy for the race who is trained by Donald McCain, Peter Buchanan will ride Silver By Nature for Lucinda Russell, winner of the recent Grand National Trial at Haydock Park. Timmy Murphy meanwhile is likely to partner 2008 winner Comply Or Die in what will probably be the horse’s last attempt to win the race. Quinz from the Philip Hobbs stable will have his usual jockey, Richard Johnson on board, while it is almost certain that champion jockey, Tony McCoy will once again ride Don’t Push It in a bid to land the Grand National odds for for a second successive year
Despite taking a week off, following a fall last weekend, Barry Geraghty believes he will be fit for the well in time for the race but as yet he has no ride booked. Nicky Henderson does not have an entry which means his star jockey is without a ride.
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