Ruby Walsh delivers his verdict on the Randox Grand National at Aintree on Saturday and he's sticking with a family favourite.
5.15 Aintree - Randox Grand National
I’m going to stick with water and I’m going to stick with ANY SECOND NOW – my number one anyway. He was unlucky in the race last year – he made a mistake at the tenth and nearly got brought down at the twelfth.
I think he did incredibly well to get back to finish third, he’s 7lb higher but I think probably more significantly is and probably a worry is that he has to carry 11st 8lb. Last year he had 10st 9lb on his back, he’s 11st 8lb on his back even though he’s only 7lb higher in the weights.
But he’s in great form and he’s had a good preparation and I think he is a massive runner. And my second one is I’m with Longhouse Poet for Martin Barassill and Darragh O’Keeffe. He was a good winner of the Thyestes Chase and he’s 14/1 at the time of recording, he had a run over hurdles since around the time the weights came out, but I thought he battled well to beat Franco De Port in the Thyestes on better ground than Aintree on Saturday.
Burrows Saint – I didn’t think he was unlucky in last year’s race though – it looked to me like he didn’t stay so why is he going to stay this year. Agusta Gold probably could have done with the rain falling that I think would have helped Snow Leopardess as well. Class Conti ran in the race last year – hard to really fancy him and Brahma Bull is 66/1 so I think it’s not easy to be bull and confident about Willie’s four. Burrows Saint is definitely the pick but maybe being a year older he might get home but he looked to get very tired form the elbow last year with Patrick Mullins.
Obviously the favourite Delta Work I think if he gets into a rhythm he is the class horse and I think better horses are starting to win the Grand National – it’s just the way it’s gone. He was really impressive in the cross-country race – I love the way he jumped, big-field handicap that’s a bit of an unknown for him, but he couldn’t have been more impressive than he was at Cheltenham beating Tiger Roll which was a great trial for the Grand National and Fiddlerontheroof is the I think could be best of the British.
I loved the way he travelled at Newbury in the Ladbrokes Trophy, he then had a break before having a comeback run at Ascot behind Fortescue. But I think Fiddlerontheroof will have the pace to travel in a good position and I think with that Ascot run under his belt he could have improved for the Grand National.
Hear more from Ruby Walsh on Paddy Power Media's From The Horse's Mouth Podcast.
