Synchronised favourite for John Smith´s Grand National Chase at Aintree
Synchronised is likely to dominate proceedings in the Grade 3 John Smith´s Grand National Chase, one of the biggest horseracing events, set to take place at Aintree on Saturday, April 14th.
The marathon has attracted many big names from all over the globe. There are 40 confirmed runners, geared up to compete for a huge cash prize worth £547,268.
The punters do not have much time to make their moves, as the action is about to commence. According to the program, the show will begin at 16:15 (GMT).
The line-up comprises of Synchronised, Ballabriggs, Junior, West End Rocker, Cappa Bleu, Chicago Grey, On His Own, Shakalakaboomboom and many others.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Synchronised, is currently heading the betting card. Jonjo O'Neill’s trainee was a delight to watch in the Gold Cup, as he secured the top position by two and a quarter lengths.
His Cheltenham success prompted the bookmakers to give him the highest starting price for the Aintree challenge. The punters have plenty of reasons to place maximum number of bets on him, but they cannot afford to be complacent.
The dashing runner will have to perform out of his skin to beat this line-up. He would be definitely in deep trouble, if his opponents manage to outpace him in the early hours.
Ballabriggs is another major player. Last year’s Grand National hero was not impressive on his seasonal return, as he finished fourth in the totepool.com Premier Chase at Kelso last month.
The 11-year-old veteran certainly needs to improve his work significantly to enjoy the party. Chicago Grey had his victory at the Cheltenham Festival three years ago, but he has not been able to show that high promise ever since.
In his most recent outing at Gowran Park, the Gordon Elliott-trained did a reasonable job to secure the runner-up place in the Red Mills Chase. Junior might spring up a surprise. Since his Cheltenham success last year, the nine-year-old
has been struggling with his form.
West End Rocker and On His Own, also hold solid claims for the top prize. However, both contenders will have to be flawless in order to deliver a thumping performance.
According to our calculations, Synchronised would be able to notch up the top slot, if he overcomes his jumping issues. An upset cannot be discarded, as there are a few dangerous runners in the line-up.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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