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Synchronised solid at head of Aintree market

10/1 is absolutely the best price on offer for Synchronised as the countdown to the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree is well and truly underway with little more than 10 days to go to the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’, writes Elliot Slater.

The popular chaser advanced to joint-favouritism on stanjames.com with David Pipe’s Junior  on the news that the long-time ante-post market leader Prince de Beauchene would miss the race following a training setback, having run a tremendous trial for the big race that has encouraged punters to take his chance particularly seriously.

Synchronised has always looked a potential Grand National winner having landed the Welsh National and the Midlands National in previous seasons, but his improvement this term into a genuine Grade 1 staying chaser has come as a surprise to most observers in racing betting circles. When the Jonjo O’Neill-trained gelding travelled to Ireland just after Christmas and landed the Grade 1 Lexus Chase, some people believed that to have been a fluke on account of the reportedly tacky ground that they believed played to the strengths of the out-and-out-stayer.

There was a significant amount of money though for the JP McManus-owned nine-year-old when he took his place in the line-up for last month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, and despite struggling to go the early gallop and making AP McCoy work hard to keep him in touch with the front-runners, the son of Saddler’s Wells picked up in tremendous style over the last mile and powered through to lead at the last before going on to a sensational victory in beating The Giant Bolster and the defending champion Long Run in the bravest possible fashion.

Saddled with top weight of 11st 10lbs, Synchronised is technically as much as a stone ‘well in’ and if allowed to take his chance he looks sure to receive a wave of public support that could easily see him sent off clear favourite as he attempts to become the first horse since the mighty Golden Miller in 1934 to do the Cheltenham Gold Cup/Grand National double.

Harbour Watch in fitness race

Last year’s Richmond Stakes winner at Glorious Goodwood, Harbour Watch,  faces a race against time to be fit for the opening Classic of the season in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.

Richard Hannon’s two-year old was making his third racecourse start when he despatched the 10-runner field in the Group Two contest over 6f to remain unbeaten.

The part Qatar Bloodstock-owned horse was set to run in the Dewhurst Stakes in 2011 but an injury put an end to his season. A new setback has now made his participation at Newmarket in May uncertain at this stage.

Racing manager to Qatar Bloodstock, David Redvers, believes the horse will be back to his best by the time the Royal Meeting at Ascot comes around in June.

“Basically it’s all related to last year’s injury,” he added. “My view has always been that our real aim was to get him back for Royal Ascot.

“I want to give him as much time as possible and I didn’t want him to be pushed to go somewhere early.”

If Harbour Watch does run in the 2000 Guineas he could come up against the unbeaten Camelot who won the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster at the back end of last season. The Irish superstar trained by Aiden O’Brien is a son of Montjeu and is also favourite for the Derby at Epsom in June.

Most Improved is behind Camelot in the market for the race after attracting support over the last couple of weeks. Brian Meehan’s three-year old finished third in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October behind Parish Hall and Power, who is also from the O’Brien yard.

Prior to the derby of course the ‘World’s greatest steeplechase’  – the Grand National at Aintree. With a number of punters hoping to use their Grand National free bet  to make some money on the famous race. Junior and Gold Cup winner Synchronised are the cuccrent favourites priced at 10/1.

Boomboom to prove knockout National bet

As far as quality goes, this season’s John Smith’s Grand National looks to be one of the very best for many years with the likelihood of the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised going up against last year’s National hero Ballabriggs, as well as a host of other smart staying chasers in a race that will surely have racing fans across the globe glued to their television sets on April 14, writes Elliot Slater.

Certainly Synchronised is the best handicapped horse in the race despite having to carry top weight of 11st 10lbs. Had BHA handicapper Phil Smith been able to retrospectively handicap the horse on his stunning win at Cheltenham, he would probably have asked Jonjo O’Neill’s charge to carry a stone more than his current mark, but no horse has done the Cheltenham Gold Cup/Grand National double since the legendary Golden Miller in 1934, so the odds are well and truly stacked against the JP McManus-owned star. People betting Grand National money should remember this.

Having given the matter a lot of thought the horse that continues to jump out as a potential winner of the race is the Nicky Henderson-trained Shakalakaboomboom, seventh to Always Waining at Aintree last year in the Topham Trophy but much improved this term and a horse who looks certain to relish every yard of the four-and-a-half mile trip on decent ground. A runner-up to Calgary Bay in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster in January before occupying the same position in a novice hurdle used as a warm-up for the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’, the eight-year-old has an ideal weight of 10st 12lbs and will almost certainly be partnered by the excellent Barry Geraghty. Those betting on Grand National will know how good a jockey he is.

Although he has won most of the great prizes in National Hunt racing, Henderson has never saddled the winner of the John Smith’s Grand National, and at a current best offer of 25/1 he looks worth a bet to break his duck with Shakalakaboomboom and guarantee himself the British jumps trainers’ championship in the process.

Ashes set to take his chance in Aintree Bumper

The progressive Ashes House is an intended runner in the Aintree Festival Bumper at the showcase three-day meeting that begins on April 12 and connections are hopeful that the low-born gelding can scale the heights on one of the biggest stages in National Hunt racing, writes Elliot Slater.

The gelded son of Dushyantor changed hands for just 700 euros at the Goresbridge Sales in Ireland in March 2010, but after getting no further than the first fence on his first outing in point-to-points he then won a maiden point at Loughanmore, after which he was sold again for 19,000 guineas at the Newbury Sales. Bought by Diamond Racing for a similar sum a short time after, Ashes House made a promising debut under rules for the Tim Vaughan yard, running second in a Fontwell bumper then sluicing home by an eye-catching 20 lengths on his return visit to the Sussex course in similar company in November. Those betting Grand National money should remember this.

Clearly well served by the testing ground that day, connections decided to go in search of similar conditions in their bid to follow up and sent the six-year-old on the long trek north to Carlisle in December where he didn’t let the side down in slamming Snapping Turtle by 11-lengths in bog-like conditions at the Cumbrian circuit. People looking at the Betfred Grand National odds need to bear this in mind.

Vaughan is convinced that while Ashes House goes well on a soft surface he isn’t without ability on better ground and is expecting his charge to put up a bold show in the valuable Aintree bumper where he hopes Richard Johnson will be available to take the mount having partnered the horse to both his victories earlier in the term. From very lowly beginnings Ashes House is now set to perform on one of the biggest stages in the sport and will certainly not be out of place amongst some better bred rivals.

Pete primed for prominent National performance

Malton-based Malcolm Jefferson enjoyed a tremendous time at the recent Cheltenham Festival recording two victories at the most prestigious meeting on the whole jumps racing calendar, and the shrewd Yorkshireman is hoping that his luck holds when According to Pete takes his chance in the forthcoming John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 14, writes Elliot Slater.

As if winning the Pertemps Hurdle Final with Cape Tribulation (14/1) wasn’t enough, Jefferson then sent out Attaglance (20/1) to land the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle to cap a dream week at Cheltenham, and now According to Pete is entrusted with maintaining the run of success for the small yard at major meetings as he bids to add to two big wins already this season that have seen him elevated by horse racing betting tips to the status of genuine contender for ‘the world’s greatest steeplechase’.

The 11-year-old gelding first hit the headlines this term when springing a 33/1 shock at Wetherby on Boxing Day in defeating Helpston by a length to land the Grade 3 Rowland Merrick Chase, a victory that some judges determined was no more than a flash in the pan. A little over three weeks later though, (and racing of a 7lb higher mark of 142), the son of Accordion repeated the feat at a higher level when putting up a brave effort to hang on in desperate ground, beating Pearlysteps by three-and-a-half-lengths in the Grade 2 Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock, a performance that made Grand National fans sit up and take notice.

Another solid effort off a 5lb higher mark when runner-up to the talented Master Of The Hall at Kelso in the Totesport Premier Chase, confirmed that Jefferson’s charge is holding his form well, and although he is smaller in stature than most of his Aintree rivals, According to Pete has a serious jump in him that should see him round the Liverpool course safely and give those that support him at best racing odds of up to 40/1 a good run for their money.

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