Grand National

Waiting for the bet365 offer has cost me on my main selection. Houblon Des Obeaux was a fair bit better than his 10^th place finish last year having finished well to pass lot of horses after getting outpaced. He is unlikely to get outpaced as much here on the soft ground. He has a fair few good runs this year and if he gets around hell be finishing better than anything. Bet365 has 40/1 5 places and 33/1 6 places. I think with him it’s important to get the extra place, especially as the place part is free which essentially means it’s double the odds which makes him 66/1 with 6 places ¼ the odds and that is a cracking bet

2.5 Points EW 33/1 ¼ 6 place Bet365. 5 Points 2.5 returned

Carlingford Lough is my second selection, he is a strong stayer and certainly goes on the ground, has enough class to get involved here at a huge price. He has had a light season but looks to retain a fair bit of ability when close enough in a very strong John Durkan earlier this year over a trip a long way short of his best. The way he runs his races could be well suited to this test and at 50/1 with the bet365 offer which makes him effectively 100/1 he looks great value.

2 Points EW 50/1 5 places 365 offer costing 2 points

Alpha Des Obeaux, has been good this year and has plenty of class for a race like this. He has run well above this mark a few times this year in grade 1s and given that he is over a stone better off with Total Recall for their limerick meeting I think he can get involved here at the price I was looking for.  He has had a nice break to prepare for this and usually runs well of a break. 40/1 5 places with 365 is a great price given it’s really 80/1

2 Points EW 40/1 5 places 365 costing 2 points

I’m hard pressed to narrow down for my last selection between as few and I’ve decided to go with my initial selection Saint Are . When I watched a replay of the 2016 national he travelled and jumped well in the soft ground and got tired from being right up with the pace all the time. I think he will be ridden here with far more patience and can see him finishing well at a huge price. Ill also go for the extra place in his case

2 Points EW 50/1 6 Places Bet365 costing 2 points