2011 Grand National Contenders

Written by Roger Mayflower
Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:53

April 9th, 2011 is the date of one of most anticipated sporting events in all of the U.K., the Grand National.

With a TV viewing audience of more than 500 million and thousands packed in the stands at Aintree Race Course in Liverpool, England, the Grand National is the world's premier steeplechase event .

Picking a contender from the traditionally large fields in the Grand National can be daunting task for any horse player, as the roughly 4 ½ mile long course is a physical and psychological drain on both horse and jockey.

The demolition derby nature of the race can and has ensured that the best horse doesn't always win the race more than once, making the job of selecting a winner harder still.  But the best place to look for a contender in any horse race is the defending champion.

2010 Grand National winner Don't Push It, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by Tony McCoy, figures near the top of most bookmakers charts at around 14-1 odds.  He will attempt to become the first horse since Red Rum in 1974 to win the race two years in a row, but since he has been announced as co-top weight carrier in the 2011 Grand National, that task becomes even more difficult.

For Don't Push It to repeat in this year's race, he'll have to turn back the challenge of a host of new contenders.  With a win in the February 23rd Grade Two Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse over stablemate Arbor Supreme, The Midnight Club jumped to the head of the oddsmakers charts at 10-1.

Other top Irish contenders include Oscar Time, who is trained by Martin Lynch.  Oscar Time will be looking to build off of a 2010 campaign which saw him place 2nd in the Irish Grand National at 22-1 odds.  The 10  year-old has been consistent throughout his career in showing a great deal of stamina along with terrific jumping ability, two key factors to consider when contemplating a play on him.

While he did lose to his stablemate earlier in the year, do not overlook Irish 8 year-old Arbor Supreme.   The horse has been pointed to this race for some time now by his connections.   Arbor Supreme has preferred soft ground over the course of his career but harder turf seems to help his jumping ability, so take a look at track conditions when considering a play on this Irish horse.

He showed good form earlier in the year with a game 3rd place finish at Down Royal in March, and oddsmakers currently post him at around 33-1.

Big Fella Thanks has been in the mix the last two Nationals, finishing 6th in 2009, and many think he may have won the 2010 race if not for an injury to jockey Ruby Walsh.  Trained by J. Mangan, the mount for this horse is still up in the air at this time, and that will have an effect on his odds that at this time pundits have at 14-1.

Don't be afraid to make a few picks at long odds, as 100-1 longshots have a history of winning the race through attrition.