Grand Sefton Tips: Pipe Runner Can Be Crowned At Aintree
Every season it is spectacular to see the Grand National fences appear and be raced over up at Aintree, and we get that treat with the Grand Sefton on Saturday afternoon. There are loads in here with a chance but Billy Grimshaw has nailed his colours to the mast...
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How good is it to have the jumps back? Yes, we had the farcical sight of Captain Teague's walkover yesterday at Exeter to dampen the mood, but the weather cant' be helped and the poor crew at Exeter cannot be blamed for something out of their control. But just seeing some of the big names we know will be contesting some of the races we all dream of in the spring back entered has really got tongues wagging and the Grand Sefton on Saturday sees a glut of strong chasers clashing over those iconic Grand National fences.
Frero Banbou had been favourite until the evening before, but I could not have him on my mind for win purposes given I have been a supporter in plenty of his runs since he finally claimed a win in 2022. Venetia Williams' horse is undoubtedly talented, but I'm not sure he has the constitution to really battle to the line anymore and I was licking my lips at the prospect of taking him on as market leader. You can imagine then my disappointment - albeit it does help with the confidence - when I saw my fancy KING TURGEON tumbling in price and eventually taking over as favourite.
David Pipe's runner is technically out of the weights here but after his romp at Chepstow eleven days ago, I'm not concerned by that as this is clearly a horse who was given a wind op and it worked as well as it has for any in the past. To say he blew away his competition over that marathon trip would be an understatement and he could've won by any margin after putting in such an accomplished round of jumping. These fences at Aintree are unique, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better jumping performance on seasonal debut than he produced last time out and off just 10st2 I'd be amazed if he isn't at the very least placed here. In truth, I'll be disappointed if he's beaten.
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This is by no means a walkover, as the competitive betting suggests, but there are horses other than Frero Banbou that I was happy to dismiss in pure win terms. Firstly, Percussion slots into the same category as the aforementioned Venetia runner in that he seems to travel into races so well and yet always seems to find one or two who just want it more, This is a profile of horse I'm determined to avoid this season, so if he on Saturday battles to glory he'll receive a hat tip from me but he will not be in the staking plan.
Another horse who is probably in a different league of monkey to the two already discussed is Harper's Brook, who has left Ben Pauling and is now in the care of Dan Skelton. This horse has thrown away races from the jaws of victory on numerous occasions and although he does have a new handler here, I can't see anyway that he doesn't stray from a true line up the long Aintree straight, which is over two furlongs long.
Even if he is ten lengths clear, I'd expect him to be trading odds against on the exchanges which tells you all you need to know. It would be some sight to see him that far clear and on a going day he does have it in him, but he cannot be backed to win a race given his record. Latenightpass rates a big danger to King Turgeon in my book but he is going to have to have taken his form to a new level at the ripe old age of eleven to give that horse a stone and a half and a beating. If what we saw from King Turgeon at Chepstow was his new standard, he is the one they all have to beat and I'll be backing him accordingly.