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The 2025 Grand National

I consider Toby McCain-Mitchell a good rider but, in common with a lot of young Point riders switching to rules, no one ever seems to tell them not too win too far once they've got a race sewn up.

So they routinely destroy handicap marks with wide-margin victories left, right and centre.
 
Now I've had a proper look, there's a couple grade 1 performers lurking on decent marks.
Zanahiyr + Fakir Doudaries take the eye. Both 66s. Fakir has a fine record at this meeting. We know the trainer in his relatively short career, can certainly target a race.
 
I've taken two more bets:

Intense Raffles - I Am Maximus won the IGN off 149 then made light of 159 at Aintree a year later after not showing his form until the Bobbyjo just after the weights came out. Intense Raffles won the IGN off 140 and went up to 151 - its Aintree mark - but has been kept to two hurdles races this season to protect its mark. Running in the Bobbbyjo will satisfy its qualification requirements for this year's race. I go much higher than 151 for it and it's a second-season chaser yet to play its hand so could be another 10lbs better again, just like I Am Maximus. I've taken 14/1 (win only) in anticipation of it running very well in the Bobbyjo and it doesn't have to win.

Nick Rockett - now, I am half-expecting this one to win the Bobbyjo so I've taken 20/1 (6 places) in case it does. It was 4/1f for the IGN off 146 but disappointed. It was better in the Whitbread when maybe ridden a tad too conservatively and is now also a second-season novice with plenty of improvement in it, which it showed when winning the Thyestes easily off 152, going up to 161 (163 at Aintree for some reason) for it. He gets 3lbs from Intense Raffles in the Bobbyjo but I have him 14lbs better on my adjusted ratings.

Intense Raffles will be 15lbs better off at Aintree, though...
 
I was just looking at Saturday's Bobbyjo, thinking: "this will be the 'Big Reveal' for the Grand National from Willie Mullins - I wonder if it might Nick Rockett? I also think Intense Raffles might hit peak form too?" and I log on here and see Maurice has already thieved prices about both! 😂

Haven't backed either yet, but I had 25/1 I Am Maximus for the 2024 Grand National going into this last year and that price was a distant memory about he hosed up despite his usual erratic jumping!

Can't wait for this year's Bobbyjo.
 
Intense Raffles @ 25/1 was Timeform's ante-post selection for the National back in October when their horses to follow book came out. Did I back it?

(I think the reason I didn't was because I was in Spain for the month, the brother bought the book for me and by the time I got home nd collected it the 25s were long gone. At least that's what I'm consoling myself with...)
 
I've just seen the updated jockey bookings for the Bobbyjo.

What's the situation with JP runners at the Mullins stable? Does Mark Walsh still get first dibs?

Townend is on IAM for JP. Walsh is on Capo.

Danny is on Minella C.

Hayes is on Nick R.

I always see Hayes as the 'not today' arrangement so I don't think I'll be taking even money Nick Rockett. I'll leave the race alone. I'll be happy for Intense Raffles to win and if NR goes and wins anyway I'll be happy too.
 
If I create any more threads this week, I'll start WWIII all my own 😂, so here might be the safest place to talk about tomorrow's Bobbyjo Chase.

It's arguably the race of the weekend.

I'm not having a bet on it, I don't think, but I could see it again having a dramatic impact on the Grand National betting and it's a proper decent contest in its own right.
 
Aged between seven and nine, both trained in Ireland, they both tick my boxes for winning a modern Grand National - I couldn't put you off!

I'd say they've both got far more chance at Aintree than that pensioner Bravemansgame, who I hear has already been asking if he can negotiate the GN course by bus using his OAP travel pass! 😂
 
Nick Rockett beat Intense Raffles by three parts of a length in the Bobbyjo, but look at the weights today, then look at the weights at Aintree (both alluded to by Maurice earlier in the thread).
 
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Desert Orchid said:
I've taken two more bets:

Intense Raffles - I Am Maximus won the IGN off 149 then made light of 159 at Aintree a year later after not showing his form until the Bobbyjo just after the weights came out. Intense Raffles won the IGN off 140 and went up to 151 - its Aintree mark - but has been kept to two hurdles races this season to protect its mark. Running in the Bobbbyjo will satisfy its qualification requirements for this year's race. I go much higher than 151 for it and it's a second-season chaser yet to play its hand so could be another 10lbs better again, just like I Am Maximus. I've taken 14/1 (win only) [for the GN] in anticipation of it running very well in the Bobbyjo and it doesn't have to win.

Nick Rockett - now, I am half-expecting this one to win the Bobbyjo so I've taken 20/1 (6 places) in case it does. It was 4/1f for the IGN off 146 but disappointed. It was better in the Whitbread when maybe ridden a tad too conservatively and is now also a second-season novice with plenty of improvement in it, which it showed when winning the Thyestes easily off 152, going up to 161 (163 at Aintree for some reason) for it. He gets 3lbs from Intense Raffles in the Bobbyjo but I have him 14lbs better on my adjusted ratings.

Intense Raffles will be 15lbs better off at Aintree, though...
Click to expand...

Race went as well as I could have hoped.
 
It's a colossal weights pull (which neither the Racing Post nor the Sporting Life reports seem to have noticed 😂) at Liverpool for the young, progressive, Irish National winner - Intense Raffles just got added to the Davies Aintree portfolio! 😂
 
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