Blaklion and Saphir Du Rheu have National credentials
Racing Correspondent MARCUS TOWNEND picks out a couple of long-range selections for the Grand National on April 8 after the weights were announced in London on Tuesday night.
The quality of the Grand National gets better each year but the need for a runner with good stamina reserves remains constant.
Evidence of a good previous performance in a strongly-run major handicap is also a big bonus and there is no better trial ground than Newbury’s Hennessy Gold Cup.
This season’s race was won by leading Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Native River but it is the horse back in fifth which interests me.
Saphir Du Rheu has taken his time to sort out his jumping to a decent leve
BLAKLION is trained by a man who has twice landed the Grand National in Nigel Twiston-Davies. The gelding is also classy. He landed the RSA Chase for staying novice chasers at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.
His form this term has been more of a mixed bag. He was a tad disappointing behind Definitly Red in the Rowlaand Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby over Christmas but his fifth place in the Hennessy was a fair effort.
He finished eight lengths behind runner-up Carole’s Destrier but has a 8lb weight pull on the National when he can currently race off a very handy 10st 10lb.
Blaklion is due to run at Haydock on Saturday ridden by trainer’s son Willy and, while betting at this stage of the National is a big guessing game, the 33-1 generally available about Blaklion looks fair.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is also a National winner with options and I am tempted by one of the less obvious ones.
Gold Cup aspirations were once held for SAPHIR DU RHEU but he has taken his time to sort out his jumping to a decent level. The grey fell in the Hennessy but there were more positive signs in his 2nd to Foxtail Hill at Cheltenham last month.
Saphir Du Rheu can be backed at 50-1 with both Stan James and Betway, big odds for a grade-one winning novice chaser.