An Al Duncan musing

13th April 2012 : National trends, National lottery and National Velvet

Three weeks ago, Lucky Dave and I were sitting pretty.

Mid February, we’d had a look at the Grand National weights and come up with a cracker. Prince de Beauchene.
The Wylie owned, Mullins trained 9 year old had shown progressive form on his only run to date for his new handler when finishing 5th in a 3m chase at Navan in mid November.

So the money went down, a pony e.w. at prices ranging from 28’s to 33’s.
Lucky Dave of course snapped up the 33’s, that being prior to him receiving a letter from Victor ending their relationship. But, I digress.

Come end of February, Prince de Beauchene won a Grade 2 Chase, and was now clear favourite for the Grand National as low as 7-1.

Sorted!

Well, not quite. At the end of March came the news : the gelding suffered a hip injury – apparently horse’s have hips as well – and will not run in the National. Oh well, that’s racing as Donald might say.

Memo to Lucky Dave – never back anything that Al Duncan is on!

Nevertheless, I’ve persevered and come up with a couple of runners who should go well on the soft ground on which Saturday's National will take place.
Another Wylie/Mullins/Walsh horse in On His Own, and also Seabass who aims to be the first horse to be ridden to National victory by a female jockey since the Mickey Rooney trained The Pie in 1944.

Now, although I bet Ballabriggs last year, my previous winner was Aldaniti in 1981, so I thought I’d pick the brains of Lucky Dave, who has bet the winner of every Grand National for the last 3 decades, allegedly.
So, here is my full staking plan for Saturday’s big event

Level stakes, 1pt each way the lot.

That should just about do it!

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