2021 Grand National Tips and Preview Dave Stevos
2021 Grand National Tips and Preview
The first two days of the Grand National meeting were a disaster punting wise. The luckless passage endured by Buveur D’Air on Thursday was the start of a miserable run for us. There is no point on dwelling on it though and we have a chance for redemption in the big one on Saturday. I have already written a stats based preview which you can read here. Now it is time for my 2021 Grand National tips and preview and I am going to recommend a trio of e/w bets. Check out my big race fancies below…
2021 Grand National Tips: Alpha Well Treated
The last time I found the Grand National winner was when One For Arthur won it a few years back. He caught my eye staying on well in the Becher and I fancy Alpha Des Obeaux for the same reason. Denise Foster’s charge finished an excellent 3rd behind Walk On The Mill and Kimberlite Candy off a mark of 159 in that race in 2019. He was carrying top weight and he was conceding 22lb to Kimberlite Candy and 18lb to Walk On The Mill.
Kimberlite Candy, who re-opposes here, has to concede 1lb to Alpha Des Obeaux in this race. That represents a 23lb swing in the weights for an 8L gap and it should enable the Irish raider to turn that form around. Alpha’s form fell off a cliff after that excellent effort but he ran his most promising race since in the X-Country at Cheltenham last time. I think he has been targeted at this race ever since his Becher run and he finally gets his chance after it was called off last year. Man of the moment Jody McGarvey takes the ride and at odds of 66/1 I think he is worth backing each way.
2021 Grand National Tips: Alpha Des Obeaux e/w @ 66/1 (7 places)
Anibale Could Fly For Martin
Another horse with experience over these fences is the 11yo, Anibale Fly. This horse has somehow only won three chases during his career. It is a poor return for such a talented animal but he has long threatened to win a big one. Tony Martin’s son of Assessor ran a huge race in this in 2019 when finishing 5th off 164, 16L behind Tiger Roll. He had previously finished 2nd to Al Boum Photo in the Cheltenham Gold Cup so he is a horse with bundles of ability.
There is no better man at getting one handicapped than Tony Martin and he has done some job getting this horse down the weights. He is back for another crack at the Grand National off a mark of just 155, 9lb lower than he was in 2019. He has had just one run this term, a wide margin defeat on heavy behind Acapella Bourgeois. That was obviously just a prep run for this race and he will be much more at home on the good to soft ground at Aintree. Denis O’Regan’s quiet style should really suit this horse and I can see him outrunning his odds of 28/1.
2021 Grand National tips: Anibale Fly e/w @ 28/1 (6 places)
Hogan Could Hit Heights For Snowden
Just like my other two tips, Hogan’s Height has experience over these fences. He put in a spectacular performance when winning the Grand Sefton over 21f in 2019 off a mark of 134. He hosed up by 16L that day and it remains the best run of his career to date. I think it is safe to say that connections would have had this race in mind ever since and it looks like his whole season has been geared towards it.
Just like Alpha Des Obueax he had a prep run in the X-Country Chase at Cheltenham. It was just his third run since his Grand Sefton win and while he finished well beaten in 6th, it should have sharpened him up no end. He races off a mark of 146 today, 12lb higher than he was for his win. The biggest worry is the trip but he did win over 25f at Catterick on good ground a while back so at least he is proven at 3 miles plus. Hopefully they don’t overwater because if he is going to get the trip today, his best chance is on good to soft or better. With 6 places available, Hogan’s Height is the final each way selection at odds of 100/1.
