| Grand National is a puzzle for punters
 By
David Thorpe
After the Cheltenham Festival punters will look to play up their gains
or win their drinking money back with the Aintree Grand National at the
weekend.
The bookies make last year’s winner Hedgehunter and Clan Royal the
ante-post favourites but at 4/1 neither represents any particular value
in an open race and Hedgehunter — after his outstanding second place
in the Gold Cup — may be a tired horse especially with his big weight
to lug around.
Clan Royal has knocked on the door of this race for a few years and maybe
his chance is past. There is considerable merit to his claims on the basis
of a light weight though his price is a tad ridiculous.
Tony McCoy rates Innox very highly but it’s another horse who ran
a good race at Cheltenham and may be feeling the effects by the time Aintree
comes.
Numbersixvalverde won the Irish National last year for Ruby Walsh and
has been gently campaigned all season.
Martin Brassil is his excellent trainer and the horse has a very decent
weight. Generally available around the 16/1 mark he is a reasonable price
in a race which despite its reputation rarely contains any real value
for the small punter so Numbersixvalverde is the selection.
Each-way picks include the consistent duo Kymandjen and Sir Rembrandt
— a dour stayer who represents real value at the price.
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