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Thread: The Road to the Grand National 2018

  1. #61
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Framing the weights should be fairly straightforward.

    Below is the 'At A Glance' card from the RP site. I ordered it by OR (hope it transfers across with the link - if not just click on the OR column and it should do it automatically). We know Mr Smith compresses the top weights.

    My guess is that he'll give BDM 11-10 (top weight) and let DR run off the same. He might let DR run off 165 / 11-10 and allow BDM to run of 164 but apart from that I think the only other alterations will be with anything with very good course form or which shows more between now and the publication of the weights. There's a slight danger he might hit Blaklion with an extra pound or two but I doubt it off such a high mark already.

    I'd also suggest anything on 142 or less (from Arbre De Vie down - and that includes Thunder And Roses off just 141, which should please Marble) will need to show some form pretty soon or leave themselves open to missing the cut.

    So you can pretty much go ahead and get studying.

    https://www.racingpost.com/racecards...69/at-a-glance


    Edit again - it looks like the ratings of the Irish horses are as per the Irish handicapper so I'd add a notional 6lbs to the ratings to those rated below 150 (above that I think the mark is agreed by both the Irish & UK handicapper) and then adjust once the ratings for this race are known.
    Last edited by Desert Orchid; 1st February 2018 at 10:25 AM.
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  2. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by Desert Orchid View Post
    Total Recall will be hammered for Newbury. You need only see what he did to Whisper to know.

    Edit - just checked. It looks like Total Recall is on 156 (from 147). Makes sense. Whisper went up 8lbs.

    I'm not sure 156 gets to the bottom of TR. It's a question of whether the hard race at Newbury did.
    But similar to my question in the Cheltenham Handicaps thread, I have another re Total Recall's likely weight for Aintree:-

    Mullins is clearly planning on running him over hurdles for now to protect his chase mark - he's a very short price for the h'cap hurdle on Saturday. And HRI won't touch his chase mark if he hoses up.

    But when the BHA evaluate the horse on 13th Feb they use discretion to allot a weight to the Irish horses so assuming they have a figure in their heads for the horse now and let's call it 156, what's to prevent them from taking this Saturday's hurdling performance into account (assuming he performs well) and bumping his rating up a few lbs ?

    I remember last year (or maybe 2016) they basically stopped Elliott running a horse or two at the festival by granting them high ORs based on their "potential".
    Alcohol, because no good story ever started with "I was eating this salad..."

  3. #63
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Excellent point, wilsonl.

    But TR is only off 125 over hurdles so if he's within a stone [over hurdles] of his chase ability he's entitled to have a good chance in that race. But his hurdles mark is so low I don't think it will impact upon his National weight.

    There has to be a chance if something is off the same rating under both codes and suddenly improves the handicapper will take it into account. Rightly so, imvho.
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  4. #64
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    Total Recall will be running off only 125 in that hurdle on Sunday , so how well would he have to win before Mr Smith could meddle with his chase mark of 156?
    Last edited by Grey; 1st February 2018 at 10:36 AM.

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    I had considered how low his hurdles rating is - and therefore what he'd need to do to warrant a rise from the BHA - but it wouldn't be the first time he's given a horse an unfair rating purely because he doesn't like to be seen that people are trying to take the p1ss.

    Of course it doesn't always stop them as Davy Russell would attest to.

    Maybe I'm just being too cynical though.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marble View Post
    I'm looking at Thunder And Roses for a little anti-post bet. He's an Irish National winner (2015), beating Rule The World, who went on to win this. Now I need to watch the replay of last years renewal, but I know that he was badly hampered by a loose horse and very unlucky when unseating rider. He's entered in a grand national trial at Punchestown in ten days, so can hopefully improve on his decent fourth place at Gowran last week. 66/1 looks a price worth speculating at for Aintree.
    Out tomorrow in Ireland. See how it goes.

  7. #67
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    I've did £2.50 each way for today and The National.

    I've no doubt Tanlic will be ribbing me over this in 12 months time if (and when) it goes seriously wrong.
    Last edited by Marb; 11th February 2018 at 2:17 PM.

  8. #68
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Good luck, Marble.

    If I owned him I wouldn't be looking to get within 10 lengths of the winner (so 10 lengths second would be okay) as I think he'll be off about 144 at Aintree and would probably be safe. There's always scope to run better after the weights are out and jump the queue of those on the same rating to improve your chance of making the cut.
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    Marb (11th February 2018)

  10. #69
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    Cheers just got in haven't seen it yet, pulled up apparently, where does that leave the situation.

  11. #70
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Mr Smith will probably take no account of today's run. I wouldn't think it would affect his GN chances at all.

    Edit - I suppose if Mr Smith was in a mood to spite Mr O'Leary (don't think he'd be the type) he could drop TAR to 137 and give him no chance of making the cut.
    Last edited by Desert Orchid; 11th February 2018 at 7:09 PM.
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    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    The weights are supposed to be revealed today at a posh do in London.

    Anyone know if it's a lunchtime beano or an evening one?
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    Evening again this year mate
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    Desert Orchid (13th February 2018)

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    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    Weights announced publically at 7.30pm

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  17. #74
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diamond Geezer View Post
    Weights announced publically at 7.30pm
    You would think the industry could get its act together.

    7.30pm is too late to make the next day's RP and/or Weekender so in the case of the RP it will be Thursday before they'll be in the public print domain and the following Wednesday for the Weekender.

    Having said that, iirc, the weights merited hardly a mention in last year's Weekender.
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  18. #75
    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    No the press are notified earlier in the day, but prohibited from making any announcements.

    From Aintree Racecourse

    On Tuesday, February 13, Racenews will send an embargoed release at 11am with reaction to the Randox Health Grand National weights from Phil Smith, John Baker (Regional Director North West, The Jockey Club) and a couple of trainers. This will have a STRICT EMBARGO FOR PUBLICATION of 7.30pm on Tuesday, February 13, when the Randox Health Grand National weights are made public.
    Last edited by Diamond Geezer; 13th February 2018 at 4:42 PM.

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  20. #76
    Super Moderator Diamond Geezer's Avatar
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    The good news......the weights to be announced live on Facebook Live tonight on the Aintree Racecourse page

    The bad news...... A power outage has struck half of Piccadilly, including BAFTA HQ, where the event is taking place

  21. #77
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Serves 'em fvckin right!
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  22. #78
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    Meantime the RP site has observed the deadline but gone ahead immediately with a couple of articles based on knowing the weights.
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  23. #79
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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  24. #80
    Senior Member Desert Orchid's Avatar
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    OK.

    I've just made my first and probably my biggest bet for the race.

    I was tempted to put it in the Will Win thread.

    You heard it here first.

    Noble Endeavor 50/1
    Last edited by Desert Orchid; 13th February 2018 at 8:59 PM.
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