Grand National Festival: It’s time for some Madfuninthewest

David Metcalf | April 8, 2016

Crazy about the chances of Madfuninthewest

Madfuninthewest looks on a potentially handy mark and each-way value in the 2m Handicap Hurdle that brings proceeding’s to a close on Crabbie’s Grand National Day at Aintree (18.10).

The gelding is a lightly raced sort who has shown improved form in his last two starts in Ireland for trainer Robert Tyner.

In the first of those at Cork, the five-year-old attempted to make all and stuck to the task well when headed at the last to go down by just two lengths to Bleu Et Rouge.

The winner is a very useful sort who has gone on to taste Grade 1 success at Fairyhouse and be rated 149, and the pair pulled 20 lengths clear of the third home.

Madfuninthewest backed that up with a solid second of 18 to Bello Conti at Clonmel, keeping on under pressure to be beaten 7 1/2 lengths.

Form looks strong

Bello Conti has since finished a fine fourth to Yorkhill in the Grade 1 Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and the third home Joshua Lane ran a cracker when third to Blazer in a competitive handicap hurdle when last seen in action.

The form of both those races looks strong, and suggests an opening handicap mark of 133 for the selection is exploitable.