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2011 Grand National Tips: Backstage Can Front Up and Win for Gordon Elliott

As most of the UK & Ireland will know, the world’s greatest steeplechase, the Aintree Grand National takes place this Saturday where 40 runners will battle it out over 4½ gruelling miles, taking on 30 of the most difficult fences known to National Hunt racing. As usual tips for the Grand National, from a great many different sources will abound, all designed to help find the winner of the race, but more often than not serving to confuse the would be punter. Despite the negative economic situation, Bookmakers are expecting to break all past records with many of the leading contenders having been backed for several weeks with the real money still yet to come.

One of the most sensible Grand National tips of course is for the punter to adhere to the race trends, which are, in the main, very rarely wrong. There are exceptions of course; Mon Mome’s victory with odds of 100/1 in 2009 was a very rare event, last being achieved by Foinavon in 1967. Virtually all the winners in between however, including last year with Don’t Push It, have conformed to the established Grand National trends.

Selected Grand National Trends

1. Runners should have won at least one race worth £17,000
2. Likely winners must have won a chase with 12 or more in the field
3. They should have won a chase at 3 miles or more
4. The last 20 winner had all raced over 12 times in chases
5. There has been no 7 year old winner since 1940
6. Runners aged between 9-10 have won 12 from the last 15 Grand Nationals
7. There has been no winner carrying more than 11-5 since Red Rum won in 1977.
8, Fifteen of the last 20 winners started in the top 8 in the betting

As far as this year is concerned the horse that appears to have been the subject of the most tips has been current favourite, The Midnight Club, who is trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins and will be ridden by dual winning Grand National jockey, Ruby Walsh. It appears that a lot of Irish money has been backed on this ten year old who has odds currently of 8/1 with Ladbrokes.

That said, as the race looms ever closer, the well established tipsters from the media are now beginning to express their ideas of the likely winner and there has been many tipping What A Friend to become the first winner of the race for champion trainer, Paul Nicholls. Owned in part by Manchester United football manager, Sir Alex Ferguson there is no doubting the class of this 8 year old, who was fourth in last month’s prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup and he has also won twice at Grade 1 level. Although running with 11-6 on his back, he is in fact running well below his official mark which means that based on his ability he should be carrying top weight. We think he is one of the better Grand National tips and with odds of 12/1 also on offer by ladbrokes he should be snapped up now before he shortens in price.

In fact What A Friend is one of several being tipped at around the 12/1 mark, others include 2010 winner Don’t Push It who has also been the subject of several Grand National tips and who will once again be ridden by Champion jockey Tony McCoy. To win however he will have to carry the top weight of 11-10 with the added burden that no horse has won the Grand National back to back since Red Rum in 1975 and 1976. Backstage, trained by Gordon Elliott, whose reputation as a trainer is soaring, is another 12/1 shot and who comes into the race after a similar preparation as Silver Birch, who won the Grand National for Elliott in 2007. He will carry a great racing weight of 10-12 and will be ridden by one of the best jockey’s around, Paul Carberry. When there are plenty of Grand National tips going around for a Gordon Elliott horse these days they should not go unheeded!

Tips have also been seen for Oscar Time, who will be ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen, who will be looking to become the first amateur to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season. He is in with a big chance and should he win it could represent a good omen for the forthcoming Royal Wedding as it was Waley-Cohen who introduced Prince William to Kate Middleton. Ballabriggs from the Donald McCain (Red Rum) yard has been laid out specifically to win the Grand National this year while Silver By Nature, trained by Lucinda Russell won the Grand National Trial at Haydock in February. They have both been the subject of several more recent Grand National tips and big runs can be expected by both. They are both currently 14/1 with Ladbrokes

2011 Grand National Tips

Our 1-2-3-4-5 for this year’s Grand National is below, but for those wanting to back a very lively outsider, they would be advised to consider Dooney’s Gate at his current price of 100/1 on an each way basis. This Willie Mullins trained 10 year old will be ridden by son, Patrick and comes in to the race with winning form and as a strong tip from sources in Ireland.

1st Backstage
2nd What A Friend
3rd Silver By Nature
4th Don’t Push It
5th Dooney’s Gate

Posted: Friday, 8th April 2011
Author: Rodney Wise
Tags: grand national, aintree, tips, backstage, ladbrokes,

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