Synchronised Remains On Course To Re-Write History After Latest Grand National Forfeit Stage

March 23, 2012 Leave a comment

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised heads both the market and the weights at the latest forfeit stage for the 2012 Grand National. A total of 59 runners have stood their ground, with last year’s winner Ballabriggs next in the weights on 11-09. Midnight Chase, who finished 31 lengths behind Synchronised in the Gold Cup is on 11-08 the same as Weird Al who pulled up in Cheltenham feature with a broken blood vessel whilst a pound further back is Gold Cup fourth BurtonPort who’ll have just three pounds to reverse the eight lengths he finished behind Synchronised in the Gold Cup.

The simple fact that there are so many Gold Cup runners in this year’s Grand National tells us that we are likely to witness one of the highest quality renewals for many years. Add to the mix last year’s winner, Ballabriggs, Prince De Beauchene, winner of the Bobbyjo Chase inIrelandlast time out, together with Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner, Quel Esprit and Sky Bet Chase winnerCalgaryBay.

Should Synchronised pull off the almost impossible Gold Cup and Grand National double in the same season then he would be the first horse to do so since Golden Miller in 1934 and the first horse since L’Escargot in 1975 to win both races. Another first is that he would also be the first horse since Freebooter in 1950 to carry top weight to victory. It all adds up to a very difficult task indeed for the Jonjo O’Neil trained and JP McManus owned runner but he could be the once in a lifetime horse that defies the history books.

It is fair to say that he will not go down as one of the all time great Gold Cup winners but it should be remembered that he won the Grade 1 Lexus Chase inIrelandin his preparation race forCheltenhamback in December. He also won the rearranged Welsh National over 3m7f in January 2011 and the Midland National over 4m1f a year before that, wins that confirm his staying ability to handle the marathon Grand National trip and it’s just whether he can overcome the burden of top weight.

Meanwhile Bookmakers generally have confirmed that support continues to come for the Willie Mullins trained Prince De Beauchene. The nine year old was last seen winning the Grade 2 Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse last month will be racing off only 10-06 making him a very decent proposition and with Ruby Walsh likely to take the ride, his price is only going to go in one direction.

Support it appears has waned for Donald McCain’s Weird Al following his broken blood vessel sustained in the Gold Cup where he had to be pulled up. He was still confirmed for the race however as is stablemate and 2011 winner, Ballabriggs, who is currently third favourite with odds of around 12/1. Ballabriggs of course will be trying to emulate the feat of the legendary three time winner, Red Rum, trained by McCain’s father, Donald and who was the last horse to win the Grand National back-to-back.

Others reported to be being well supported with just three weeks to go before the race include Junior from the David Pipe stable, Burton Port who is now into 12/1 in places, Alan King’s West End Rocker a 16/1 shot the same price as Cappa Bleu, Cheltenham Festival winner, Sunnyhillboy and the highly regarded Seabass from the Ted Walsh stable in Ireland. All will come to Aintree on April 14th with high expectations.

Filed under Aintree, David Pipe, Gold Cup, Grand National, Hennessy Gold Cup, Jonjo O'Neil, Ruby Walsh, Willie Mullins Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Is Synchronised a Genuine Grand National Contender?

February 9, 2011 Leave a comment

As all racing fans will know, Champion jockey, Tony McCoy won the 2010 Aintree Grand National for the first time in fifteen attempts last year on the Jonjo O’Neill trained and JP McManus owned, Don’t Push It. This year there are many pundits already suggesting very strongly that he can win it again, if not on Don’t Push It, then on another O’Neill/McManus horse, Synchronised, winner of the Welsh national last month at Chepstow.

McCoy has already admitted that he has a dilemma of which horse he should choose to ride ahead of the race, particularly after he won the Welsh National (also for the first time) on Synchronised in fine style. Much will depend on the weights of course which are published on February 15th, but McCoy’s immediate response was to retain his allegiance to Don’t Push It, despite the fact the 11 year old has struggled so far this season in his two starts over the smaller obstacles. McCoy also is acutely aware that the last horse to win back to back Grand Nationals was the legendary Red Rum and that came back in 1973 and 1974, which tells its own story.

Whatever his choice, there is no doubt that Synchronised is a genuine contender for Aintree and provided there is no setbacks between now and the race which takes place on 9th April then he will be taking his chance.

Synchronised who is the perfect age for Aintree at eight years old took to chasing superbly well and has yet to fall in any of his five races, winning four of them. The last time he fell in fact was in the Listed Pertemps Hurdle Final at the Cheltenham Festival a couple of years ago, but since then he has gone on to win the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter last March on heavy ground and in which he was only one of three finishers over the 4 mile 1½ furlong course and of course he has now taken his biggest prize of the Welsh National.

In the Welsh National he stayed on very strongly after making a couple of minor mistakes earlier in the race, but he travelled well generally and responded extremely positively to McCoy’s urgings when they made their move through the field. He finished over two lengths clear of the useful Giles Cross to who he was giving 18lb, he had also beaten Giles Cross in the Midlands National last season.

Currently Synchronised is as big as 25/1 in the Grand National odds but  most bookmakers have him much shorter at 20/1 Corals and Betfred however clearly see him as one of the favourites to win and have cut him to 16s, the same price as Don’t Push it.

The last horse to win a Welsh National and the Grand National in the same season was the outstanding Earth Summit who won both races in the 1997/8 season. He was an exceptional horse, begging the question is Synchronised equally as exceptional?

Filed under Aintree, Grand National, Jockey, Jonjo O'Neil, Racecourse, Tony McCoy, Trainer Tagged with , , ,

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