The greatest race in the world takes place on Saturday and even those people that never normally place a bet will be getting their lucky pins out and hoping they find the winner.
If we look at the race from a professionals point of view it’s a complete no brainer. Cloudy Lane is, essentially, thrown in at the weights and cannot get beaten.
Let me explain how this has happened.
The official handicapper, the guy that decides how much weight each horse should carry, decided this horse should carry only 10st 11lb. However, since he made that decision, the horse has improved, winning his next two races, beating good horses in the process and, if they were setting the weights tomorrow, this horse would now be carrying top weight. He has improved, officially, by 20lb. That, in horse racing terms, equates to a distance of 40 lengths.
If he jumps round the course, and all indications are that jumping is his forte, then he cannot be beaten.
It looks likely that he will go off the shortest priced favourite since Red Rum, the year he got beaten by L’Escargot.
That is the pro’s view….how about the view of the 'romantic'?
Ruby Walsh has resisted the approaches of several trainers to stay loyal to old Hedgehunter. He’s not the horse he was but for sure, he’ll give followers a great run for the money.
Can Simon give old Mercy Rimell a winner? The fences caught him out last season but, if the ground rides slow, he has a huge chance.
I’ll give you three against the field.
MR POINTMENT. COMPLY OR DIE and MADISON DU BERLAIS.
The first of them took to the Aintree fences like a duck to water in November and has been laid out for this race all season. Comply Or Die has improved out of all recognition since being fitted with blinkers and won the Eider Chase easily last time we saw him and Madison Du Berlais ran an absolute cracker in the Hennessey to finish fourth to Denman. This race might come a year too soon though.
This is my final piece for The Glazine and Hallmark Fantasy Horse Racing. I hope you have enjoyed what we’ve done over the last few months and, if you would like to enter the competition for the flat racing season you can do so by visiting www.fantasyhorseracing.net
It is sure to be a superb game with some superb prizes up for grabs!
http://www.hallmarkfantasyhorseracing.co.uk
Meet
Ron Robinson: Hallmark Fantasy Horse Racing's Very Own Pro' Tipster
First
timers and seasoned professional punters alike can increase their chances
at the finishing post with professional punter and tipster Ron Robinson
(pictured) to guide them. For Ron is the expert behind Hallmark's new
Fantasy Horse Racing game, the fun competition with the serious real money
side!
Ron
Robinson is passionate about horse racing and has, for the past seven
years, been in the elite that make their living out of gambling on racehorses.
Prior to becoming a professional gambler Ron spent seven years as a postman
on Merseyside and it was whilst delivering the post he devised the methods
he now uses to be first past the post, enabling him to actually do what
millions of other people would love to do.
Ron created a system for rating handicaps that is now used by fellow professionals,
that produces profits year on year. He has now placed his expertise behind
Hallmark Fantasy Horse Racing to help contestants to get the most out
of the game - and maybe to help them relieve the bookmakers of some cash
along the way!
You will be able to read his thoughts weekly by viewing The Gl@zine (backed
up with a monthly column in Glass Times). He will also be available on
a daily basis via the Hallmark Fantasy Horse Racing Forum (http://www.hallmarkfantasyhorseracing.co.uk),
where he will answer questions about the game, offer his own thoughts
on each days racing and point you in the right direction to win those
bonus point races.
Says Ron: ‘Hallmark Fantasy Horse Racing is a superb opportunity
for starters and seasoned pro's to see just how well they could do in
real life on the racing circuit - but without risking a penny! Sign up
now and I will help you along the way to the superb prizes and maybe even
the odd flutter for real.'