ARE horses who win over crazy cross-country fences sure to be suited to the Grand National?
That’s a question which needs to be asked after the weights were revealed this week for the world’s most famous jumps race at Aintree on April 10.
The assumption by many, for instance, is that France’s crack cross-country horse and one of the Randox Grand National’s topweights Easysland is sure to lap up The Chair, Valentine’s and Becher’s Brook.
Believers will of course be bolstered by the fact Tiger Roll has landed two Nationals and also mastered the cross country course at Cheltenham.
But as it turns out, that might not be the case at all, and even those ‘in racing’ struggle for a clear answer to the different qualities needed for cross-country tests and the Grand National itself.
“It’s a very good question and there is not a straight-forward answer,” said the quality eight-time champion jumps jockey Peter Scudamore.
“It sounds straight forward, but it’s not you know.
“Going to Easysland (BHA rating of 167), in my opinion he doesn’t jump that well because he jumps through the cross country fences.
“The French horses don’t necessarily quickly adapt to British racing, and I think that is where a trainer like Francois Doumen was so clever back in the day.
“In France they learn to jump a bar, and it’s a different way of teaching a horse to jump.
“Many of the cross country races in France you need more of an eventing horse, and it’s the same with something like the Velka Pardubicka. I remember in the 1970s Christopher Collins took that kind of horse to the Czech Republic.”
Scudamore added: “This is only a generalisation, but in Ireland Enda Bolger has closer to cross-country horses over there to race although the Cheltenham cross country race might be a bit different.
“One or two highly rated quite decent horses have won at Cheltenham and I suppose they have proven stamina is needed.
“The key is bends, as in athletics, make a difference. If you run 200m round a bend you don’t need the same stamina as you need in a straight line.
“Easysland is obviously a very high class horse, but his jumping would be a worry for me.”
I’m backing three horses ante-post for the Grand National, namely Kimberlite Candy (mark of 153), Secret Reprieve (144) and The Conditional (149) at prices ranging now from 16-1 to 25-1.
Kimberlite Candy has excellent National fences form and will be hard to keep out the frame, Secret Reprieve might be chucked in at the weights if he gets a run after a startling Welsh National success.
And The Conditional has the ability to go one better than his trainer David Bridgwater did as a jockey. Bridgy was second to Rough Quest on Encore un Peu in the 1996 Grand National.
Away from the National, racing fans have some cracking sport to enjoy this weekend at Ascot, Wincanton, Haydock and Newbury.
At Ascot most eyes are on the return of Cyrname in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase over 2m5f.
Also at Ascot is the Grade 2 Bateaux London Reynoldstown Chase over nearly 3m. I have a feeling Sevarano might run alright there for Oliver Sherwood.
Over at Haydock I’ll be keeping an eye on how Lisnagar Oscar gets on in the Grade 2 William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle. The Stayers’ hero is at a big price to regain his crown at Cheltenham but has shown glimmers that he’s not to be totally dismissed.
Wincanton hosts the Grade 2 Betway Kingwell Hurdle and most racing fans will be willing Goshen to show us what he is made of. It’s hard to know what to expect as he’s mainly flopped since unseating Jamie Moore is a dramatic Triumph Hurdle. Song for Someone will be a tough nut to crack.
And then on Sunday Newbury has a trio of Graded corkers.
The Grade 2 Betfair Denman Chase features Clan des Obeaux and Lostintranslation and the Grade 2 Betfair Game Spirit Chase rather oddly Gold Cup contender Champ.
And for punters looking to get stuck into a tricky puzzle enjoy the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle Handicap. I’ll have Mister Coffey eachway.
All those big races are on ITV Racing.
With Cheltenham just a month away – six races each day on ITV by the way – and the sign of light at the end of the darkened Covid-19 tunnel there’s much to get excited about.
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