Saturday 9th April 2022
Grand National Day
Author: Jordan Yates (EvRacing_)
“A warm welcome to my Grand National Preview for 2022. Below, you will find my fancies for the races that lead us to the big one, including the three Grade 1s we have to look forward too.
As for the Grand National itself, I always have four each-way picks in the race and I’m not going to abandon said tradition this time around. Therefore I’ll be sharing with you my fancies in this year’s renewal of the Aintree feature. Thank you for checking out the preview for Day 1 & 2 of the meeting, and I hope you enjoy this one.”
Jordan
Aintree Selections Day 3.
(Pre Grand National Races)
1.45: WINTER FOG – (4/1)
2.25: WALKING ON AIR – (7/2)
3.00: EDWARDSTONE – (4/6)
3.35: THYME HILL – (5/2)
4.15: KILLER KANE – (10/1)
The Grand National is set to take place at 5:15 and it’s a Grade 3 Handicap Chase that’s contested over a distance of four miles and two and a half furlongs. The first horse I’ve sided with in this year’s renewal is Snow Leopardess, who’s currently a best price of 10/1 for Charlie Longsdon and Aidan Coleman. I’ve been a fan of this mare for a long while now, ever since seeing her win at Newbury back in 2017, and she’s an extremely likeable performer. She arrives here boasting a perfect record this season having won all three of her starts, including a win in the Becher here back in November over these fences, and most recently a twelve length success within a Listed contest at Exeter back in February. I think she’s got every chance of playing a part here.
My second fancy in the race is an Irish contender in the form of Enjoy D’allen, who’s a 14/1 chance currently for Ciaran Murphy and Conor Orr. He’s an eight-year-old was third in the Irish Grand National last season when finishing four and a half lengths behind Freewheelin Dylan, who’ll he reoppose here. This season he’s been mixing it over hurdles and fences, and was last seen at the Dublin Racing Festival finishing fifth in a very hot Handicap Hurdle over three miles. Also, on his penultimate outing he finished third in a Handicap Chase over the same distance, and is only three-pounds higher for this assignment. He’s no stranger to big competitive fields, and whilst this is the toughest he’ll face by some way, he’s a hearty performer who could go well.
Selection number three is a horse right down at the bottom of the weights, and that’s Eclair Surf who’s also currently trading at around the 14/1 mark. He’s an eight-year old who’s trained by Emma Lavelle and is set to be ridden by Tom Bellamy here, and is another horse that I’ve been a fan of for some time now having put him up on this blog on a few occasions. Since falling behind Snow Leopardess at Bangor back in November he hasn’t looked back this season, with the clear highlight coming when bolting up by thirteen lengths in the Grade 3 Classic Chase in Warwick back in January. He’s got considerably progression and whilst this requires a considerable step up on his current form, he could well be up to the task.
My fourth on final fancy for this year’s Grand National is another Irish contender, this time coming in the form of Any Second Now at 10/1 for the combination of Ted & Mark Walsh. He’s a horse that arrives here with somewhat of unfinished business, following his third placed effort in the race last year behind Minella Times where he stayed on from what looked a very unpromising position. Whilst some of the runners here will face a test like they’ve never faced before, he’s battle hardened to the sort of enviroment and conditions he’ll come up against here, and also comes into the contest off the back of a win against Escaria Ten who’s well fancied by many to run a big race here too. If getting a better run of it this time around, there’s every chance he could go close again.
Everything Racing 