Monday, April 09, 2012

A Twitter Guide to the 2012 Grand National entries

Here's my Twitter guide to the remaining 48 entries in this year's Grand National.

In the past this particular post has never been keenly awaited by any of my regular readers and, unsurprisingly, this year has proved no exception.

As always, the guide has been compiled using Twitter's 140 character limit for each individual entry.

It will be of  limited (if any) use when attempting to make your own selections for this year's race.

At the time of writing layers offering each-way a quater the odds five places include bet365, SkyBet, Boylesports, BetVictor, Blue Square, Paddy Power and 888sport.

SYNCHRONISED Bids to become first horse to win Gold Cup & Grand National in the same year since Golden Miller in 1934; not the most natural jumper
BALLABRIGGS Last year's winner off a 10lb higher mark; looks sure to give a good account
WEIRD AL Charlie Hall winner has disappointing effort in the Gold Cup to put behind him
CALGARY BAY Fell at the fourth last year but comes here in fine form; will he stay the trip?
NEPTUNE COLLONGES Nicholls keen to secure the services of R. Walsh for this one - Ruby prefers On His Own
ALFA BEAT Two Kerry Nationals to his name, Davy Russell booked; trainer predicts big run provided ground remains good
PLANET OF SOUND Won the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestwon last April; others preferred
BLACK APALACHI Won Becher Chase over National fences in 2008 but now aged 13 the best years are behind him
DEEP PURPLE Won the London National at Sandown (29f) in December but possibly better over shorter; Evan Williams' third string
JUNIOR Short enough in the market; blinkered runner who didn't jump well enough going down a short head in the Grimthrope
CHICAGO GREY Won 4 mile NH Chase at Cheltenham 2011, then eighth in Scottish National; sometimes low at his fences - Paul Carberry rides
TATENEN Quirky customer who has found a new lease of life with Richard Rowe; never won beyond 21f
ACCORDING TO PETE Peter Marsh winner has been in good form this season; entitled to take his chance
SEABASS Trained by Ted Walsh, daughter Katie bids to become first woman to ride the National winner
SHAKALAKABOOMBOOM Seventh in last year's Topham over the National fences
WEST END ROCKER Unlucky to be brought down at Becher's last year. Won this year's Becher Chase unchallenged; further rain will help
ON HIS OWN Owned by Andrea & Graham Wylie and leased to charity Children's Heart Unit Fund for the day; Willie Mullins trains, Ruby Walsh rides
ALWAYS RIGHT Third in last year's Scottish National; had a soft palate operation after being pulled up in Haydock's National Trial
CAPPA BLEU Paul Moloney choses this one from Evan Williams' three entries; third in Welsh National behind Le Beau Bai and Giles Cross
RARE BOB Fourth in 2009 Irish National; done most of his winning around two and half miles
MON MOME Shock 100/1 winner in 2009; 12 years old now - age appears to be taking its toll
ORGANISEDCONFUSION Last year's Irish National winner; first try at a trip beyond three miles since that win
THE MIDNIGHT CLUB Sixth in this last year, beaten a long way in the Gold Cup; Walsh prefers On His Own
TREACLE Reasonable recent form, staying on to be beaten seven and a half lengths in the Irish Hennessy; Andrew Lynch rides
ARBOR SUPREME Fell at the Chair in 2011; hasn't won for three and a half years
SUNNYHILLBOY Third in last year's Irish National; ran a fine trial taking the Kim Muir at Cheltenham four weeks ago
KILLYGLEN In the process of running a big race at big odds (66/1) last year when coming to grief four from home
QUISCOVER FONTAINE Fourth in last year's Irish National and been racing over shorter trips since
THARAWAAT Gordon Elliott's second string
ALWAYS WAINING Likes these fences - won the past two renewals of the Topham and fourth in the Becher in December
BECAUSEICOULDNTSEE Second behind Sunnyhillboy in the Kim Muir; closely matched with that one
LE BEAU BAI Welsh National winner who stays forever but small and may struggle with these fences
STATE OF PLAY Fine record in the race - fourth 2009, third 2010, fourth 2011 but older now; Moloney prefers Cappa Bleu, Fehily rides
SWING BILL Pulled up in the Becher and beaten a long way in the Kim Muir
POSTMASTER Winning form on quick ground which he's unlikely to get here
GILES CROSS A gallant second behind Le Beau Bai in the Welsh National; gained revenge in Haydock's National Trial - every chance
HELLO BUD Won the Becher in 2010 but pulled up in this race last year and at 14 his best days are behind him
IN COMPLIANCE Completed in thirteenth last year but is another year older
MIDNIGHT HAZE Kim Bailey opted for this rather than Irish National; Sean Quinlan rides
VIC VENTURI Former Becher winner who still retains a touch of class at the age of 12; prefers soft
VIKING BLOND Blinkered front-runner likely to struggle against some of these
NEPTUNE EQUESTER Out of sorts this season
ANY CURRENCY Third in London National at Sandown last December but hasn't built on that since
OUR ISLAND Eighth in four mile NH Chase at Cheltenham - 100/1 chance
ABBEYBRANEY Didn't appear to appreciate the fences in the Becher
SADDLERS STORM Pulled up in Monday's Irish National
SMOKING ACES Sixth in the Punchestown Grand National Trial but unlikely to make cut
BALLYVESSEY Remote third in the Becher; unlikely to make the cut

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