The Tipping Tim’s Aintree Friday betting blog

The Grand National isn’t for everyone, so Racing For Change managed to get Leonna Mayor to pose for a lads’ mag in order to boost the sport’s profile at this critical time.  Anything that gets people interested in racing is good by me, particularly if it involves the lovely Leonna, but the rumours that Robert Thornton has been earmarked for next week’s Readers’ Husbands suggests that RFC might have taken it a little too far this time.  In between reading this week’s Zoo and cancelling my Readers’ Husbands subscription I have managed to have a study of tomorrow’s Aintree card, and I’m hoping to find a couple of winners to avoid having to strip down for Coral TV anytime soon.

The nap tomorrow has to be Barbatos in the handicap hurdle at 4.50.  I was all over Ian Williams’ gallant grey at Cheltenham but the usually outstanding Paddy Brennan employed his ‘softly softly catchee monkey’ approach until most the other monkeys had jumped the last, and Barbatos had no option but to jog past beaten horses.  Given a more productive ride tomorrow I fancy the French import to go very close on ground that is sure to suit.

I don’t really do chases so the next betting heat for me is the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at 4.15.  At Fishers Cross is a very solid jolly but, with slight doubts about the ground and his well-being after a hard season, he’s about right around 5/4 and I’m going to look elsewhere for the bet.  The one I like is Just A Par for the Nicholls/Ruby combo.  He cost more than my flat when he was shipped in from Ireland, and he showed enough on his British debut at Exeter to suggest that he is well above average.  That form looks decent now and, despite having plenty to find on the book, his freshness should count for plenty tomorrow.

For the Trixie I will rely on my chase-orientated colleagues.  They really like Gullible Gordon in the Topham at 3.40 and, with only twenty-nine horses and a few big hedges between him and a famous victory, who am I to argue?

Good luck with all your bets tomorrow – I hope you are betting with our money on Grand National day!