Your essential form guide to the National to help you pick a winner (if I have worked the weights out correct - otherwise it's useless )...

Form Weight Horse Trainer
0311 12.0 National King Joshua Sutherland
Top weight but comes into this in form off the back of two wins. Is the class horse of the field but might
be giving too much weight away to the other main contenders.

4094 10.4 National Prince Joshua Sutherland
Meets his stable companion a staggering 24lbs better off. Been bred especially for this. Can he give josh
his first winner in the race? Must go close.

F005 10.3 First Coalition Leon van Rensburg
Form hasn't been great leading up to this, although slightly improved last week when 13L 5th to National
King at Cheltenham. Meets him on much better terms this week, but others have better chances.

892F 10.1 Cat Memorial Leon van Rensburg
Fell last week but 6L 2nd to National King the week before sees him right in the mix here. Good place
chance.

17UU 9.12 Argyle Star SCRATCHED Paul Parsons
Was aimed for this all year, only to rock up to the course to be asked for ID! Headed home with her tail
between her legs. Probably would have unseated her rider anyway. Will be back next year.

6PU2 9.12 Frozen Hope Darren Thompson
Like the rest of the field from now on, running outside of the handicap. But 2nd last week to National
King sees this mare in with a great chance of being there at the finish regardless. Stable has come into
form at just the right time too. 4th in this last year, must be respected.

U588 9.12 Dakhla Wool James Shea
Honest sort who might find herself too far back in the field if the pace is on. Consistent top ten performer.
Expect to see her around that mark again here.

91U1 9.12 Right Destination D Hooley
Two wins from the last his three starts but 4m3f might be too far for this gelding and form against other
National runners from earlier in the season was not good.

3031 9.12 Katie Holmes Matt Cooper
Has been running well, winner of the Midlands Grand National last time out. 6 and a half lengths 3rd to
National King the time before that and better in the weights here. Should give connections a good run
here.

092U 9.12 Chemin Du Fey Padraig Hogan
Lightly raced who unseated her rider in this last year the fence after Valentine's on the first circuit. Still a
maiden and would be a surprise to see her break through here.

4U46 9.12 Mayhem On Ice Darren Thompson
Consistent performer who finds himself out of the weights here. 6th last week to National King off level
weights but close enough to suggest another consistent run here.

8417 9.12 Ronaldo Matt Cooper
Has shown some decent form of late with a three quarters of a length win in the Moores Millions Stayers
Leg 11 two weeks ago, but this is a step up.

0062 9.12 Darkan Tribulation James Shea
Second in the Midlands Grand National to Katie Holmes last week and off a similar mark here would
suggest every chance of a top ten finish.

0003 9.12 Tintzin Fyral Padraig Hogan
Runner up in this three years ago and back in form after finishing third to National King last week. May
have just snuck in under the handicapper's radar. Chance.

04U4 9.12 Weldone Jeanie David Robertson
2L 4th to Katie Holmes in the Midlands Grand National last week but well out of the weights here to
suggest any reasonable chance.

7326 9.12 Brit John Morgan
Very lightly raced horse out of the John Morgan stable. Must have credentials to be considered ahead of
Lottery and Grittar but surely too far out of the weights here to challenge.

095F 9.12 Shona Fabiola David Robertson
Fell last week at Cheltenham when running midfield. Hasn't shown much so far this season. Hard to see
improvement here.

6802 9.12 Infatuation Paul Parsons
Carries the hopes of the Paul Parsons stable with Argyle Star being ruled out. Actually trials better than
Argyle Star around the National course and comes in off the back of a 2nd at Cheltenham last week, but is
too far out of the weights here.

5U5 9.12 Earth Leader John Morgan
The second of the John Morgan runners so expect to see it near the front on the first circuit. Lightly raced
but a 5th in the Midlands Grand National is best performance to date.

U400 9.12 Suhayl Thinking Derek Hinton
A Hunter Chase winner earlier in the season in the mud. This may be too far and too far out of the weights
to be seriously considered.

F208 9.12 Yourgolftravel Com Alex Cherrie
Front runner who will be prominent early on. Has avoided most of the big names in previous races but too
far out of the handicap here.

03P9 9.12 Bertbrand Alex Cherrie
Likely to race at the rear of the field and if the pace is on could find himself with too much to do. Won't
mind the ground, but like many others too far out of the handicap to be considered.


So there we have it....21 runners to greet the starter....for those that I haven't given a chance I hope you prove me wrong

Brilliant. Well done Paul. This is the sort of thing we need to give the league a boost and keep it interesting. Actually makes me wish I had a runner now and has given me some enthusiasm for commentating on it later. Great stuff.

Great to see someone do a preview of a race
nice one Paul
but you got a name wrong
91U1 9.12 Right Destination D Hinton

Thanks Martin...took a couple of hours to put together, so glad it has given you a lift! Will be interesting to see whether any of what I've put in there comes remotely close to how the race pans out!

Apologies! I knew I would get something wrong somewhere. Have fixed it up.

Somehow I missed it off the list of runners when I wrote them down originally, then noticed last minute that I'd missed it, and then I go and get the trainer's name wrong!

Probably an omen and it will go and win it now!

Katie Holmes has been aimed at this all year. Ground will help. I’d be disappointed if not in top3. Ronaldo probably won’t stay but was best of the rest of the 5 long distance horses I uploaded

i am happy to say i have won the national
cant remember what year maybe Gray or Leon might know ?

Thanks Paul for doing this Good to read and something you might like to do a race
weekly one from each code and it don't need to be a group race either maybe after week3 when the horses have form.

Gray

Hi Gray,
Yes certainly something I could look at doing each week...although I might not go into such great detail unless it is a really big race - it took up about 4 hours of my Sunday morning, but I enjoyed it.
So yes, definitely, something I'd be happy to do.

Paul