Grand National 2016 Preview

Cloudy With a Chance Again - Many Clouds has a great chance of making history.

This Saturday the greatest show on turf will once again make its annual assault on the consciousness of the general public as the world’s greatest horse race the Grand National takes place at Aintree.

As has become tradition I’ve spent the last couple of weeks compiling a runner-by-runner guide for the big race, assessing each of the combatant’s chances of securing their place in history and winning the Grand National.

I’ve also highlighted a few of the horses I’ll be backing for the race so whether you’re after a tip, want to see if the horse your pin landed in or you got in the work sweep has any actual chance or just want to pick out a horse with a name that means something to you this is the guide for you!

The National remains a controversial race and sadly probably always will, and there will surely be the usual propaganda and out-of-context facts trotted out by it’s detractors, but the race remains the one time each year that horse racing captures the imagination of the wider public like it never can for the other 364 days of the year and as such should be celebrated for the incredible day it is.

It’s a great spectacle and statistically a much safer, and thus enjoyable, one since the modifications and hopefully that will remain the case this year as forty horses give their all as they tackle thirty unique obstacles in the greatest test of equine ability and jockeyship this great sport of ours has to offer.

So sit back, relax (and perhaps grab yourself a drink as this might take a while) as the field for the 2016 Grand National are put under the microscope.

Foxhunters Chase 2016 - Festival Focus

Fringe Benefit - On The Fringe can repeat his win in the Foxhunters.

If there’s one race at this year’s festival that’s got everyone talking it’s the Foxhunters.

Whether you agree or not with the Victoria Pendleton media circus there’s no denying it’s created some serious interest in a race that usually kind of gets lost in the aftermath of the Gold Cup.

Whatever happens with our former Olympian, hopefully the added interest in the race will lead to some well earned plaudits for another female rider taking her chance – the phenomenal Nina Carberry, who will once again take the ride aboard last year’s winner On The Fringe.

Not only did Enda Bolger’s eleven-year-old land the Cheltenham amateur riders’ event twelve months ago, he also took down the Aintree and Punchestown equivalents, landing a rare festival treble.

Neptune Novices' Hurdle 2016 - Festival Focus

King of the Hill - Yorkhill should be Neptune bound and would be a danger if he was.

The Grade 1 races I’m yet to cover for this year’s Festival Focus have all been absent thus far as they all have short-priced favourites that I can’t really see beyond, but couldn’t put up at the price they are.

Douvan in the Arkle, Vroum Vroum Mag in the Mares, Un De Sceaux in the Champion Chase and Yanworth here in the Neptune are all the most likely winners but are currently priced as such.

However in opposition to Yanworth could potentially be a horse I like very much, though if market vibes are anything to go by he’s actually more likely to go for the Supreme a day earlier which I think is a mistake, but what do I know!?

On the off chance that sense wins out in the end though I’m going to tentatively, and likely completely pointlessly, put up Yorkhill for the Neptune as with NRNB widely available now nothing is lost, other than the time writing this, if he does in fact take in the shorter option, and in my opinion the option he’s less likely to place in, twenty four hours earlier.

National Hunt Chase 2016 - Festival Focus

Battle Royale - Southfield Royale is fancied in the 4-miler.

The National Hunt Chase or the 4-miler as it is more colloquially known was the first race I put a bet up for at this year’s Cheltenham Festival back at the start of the season when I posted my Ten To Follow for this jumps season and suggested Milsean was made for the race.

Well here we are just a week before the race and Milsean has not made an appearance this season having met with a set back and thus will not be lining up a week on Tuesday.

As a result I need to revisit the race and with the market thrown somewhat in to disarray of late with the news that long time favourite Black Hercules could be rerouted to a shorter trip and that crack, and in-demand, amateur Derek O’Connor has jumped off Colin Tizzard’s plodder extraordinaire Native River to ride new favourite and constant source of frustration Minella Rocco.

Roi Des Francs, also a mainstay a head of the market this season, is also reportedly off to pastures shorter, leaving the race looking there for the taking.

Champion Bumper 2016 - Festival Focus

High Times - High Bridge can break the Ferguson festival duck in the Bumper.

I’ve seen a few people say that this year’s Champion Bumper doesn’t look a vintage renewal, but it’s one of the races I’m looking forward to most all week at Cheltenham.

This could be because I’ve made a conscious effort this year to get more plugged in to the Bumper scene both sides of the Irish Sea, but whichever way you look at the race you can’t deny there are some exciting prospects set to line up.

Several Bumper horses have caught the eye over the course of the season and rightfully they are at the head of the market – Ballyandy in particular looks an ideal sort for the race on the back of two Listed wins and should be there or thereabouts.

While Augusta Kate, if she were to line up, could go off very short indeed given her connections and how visually impressive she’s been to date this season.

She’s by no means a certainty to line up though nor are any of the Gigginstown horses after they broke their self-imposed embargo on the race last year and then instantly wished they hadn’t.