Grand National Meeting Betting; Astrocad can gain revenge in Red Rum Chase at Aintree

4.15 Aintree : Matalan Red Rum Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (2m)

The first handicap on day one of the Aintree Festival is the fifth race on the card and is a Chase over two miles. The race is for 5yo’s and older and its worth looking at the first season chasers that are still improving and ahead of the handicapper. One such horse could be Kid Cassidy and he’s a 13/2 chance with Paddy Power at the moment.

The 6yo will be ridden by AP McCoy for Nicky Henderson, he’s on a mark of 145 after winning two novice chases in good style but ran below par at Cheltenham when only twelfth behind Bellvano, he made a mistake at a crucial time that day and should be better suited by this track.

Henderson also saddles the top weight Tanks For That; he was second in that race at Cheltenham and has been raised 6lbs, he looked a little unlucky that day as he looked the likely winner when skipping clear before the last and got collared close home. On his only run here at Aintree he ran poorly so may prefer the more galloping tracks. Big rival Paul Nicholls also has two runners and Edgardo Sol looks the main hope and is ridden by Ruby Walsh. He ran well at Cheltenham last month when second in the County Hurdle to Alderwood who has franked the form at Fairyhouse recently. His last chase was here at Aintree when he beat The Cockney Mackem in a close finish back in October and has been raised 16lbs since then so doesn’t look that well treated here. Takeroc the stables other runner has been running consistently well but looks a few pounds too high.

All 13 runners can be given a squeak on their best form and eight of these ran at the Festival in the Grand Annual. Astracad could go well for the Twiston-Davies team, he seemed to get outpaced at the wrong time at Cheltenham and then stayed on again but his win from Rileyev before that was quite impressive and wouldn’t give up on him just yet. Kumbeshwar was third that day and a blunder two out cost him his chance, he ran well here at Aintree last season and could get in the frame again.

Last year’s first two home both line up again here, Silk Drum beat Oiseau De Nuit by over 4 lengths and they meet on similar terms this time round and places should be confirmed especially has Silk Drum ran into form at Doncaster last time out and looks as though this has been his target for some time.

The Irish send over a couple to have a crack at this race and Echo Bob looks to have a chance down at the bottom of the weights, he won over hurdles at Wexford last month after a lay off and should be spot on here while Free World a former inmate of Paul Nicholls runs for Arthur Moore.

It’s a most difficult race to weigh up and it wouldn’t surprise me who won to be honest, I do like Astrocad and Kumbeshwar and will take those two against the field in a wide open contest.

Selections:

1pt Astrocad 12/1 BetVictor

1pt Kumbeshwar 7/1 Stan James