Cloth Cap (11/2 Betfair *) is a strong favourite with the bookmakers for this year’s Aintree Grand National and it’s easy to see why.
The nine-year-old, trained by Jonjo O’Neill, who sent out Don’t Push It to score in 2010, looks to have the perfect credentials and the only thing not to like about him is his price – a general 4/1 at the time of writing and potentially shorter still on the day of the race (more on that to come).
With 12 Grand National wins under its belt, green is the colour with the strongest record.
The Storyteller was the only withdrawal as the final field of 40 horses – headed by Cloth Cap – was named for the Grand National on Saturday.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 8, 2021
- He arrives here on the crest of a wave having landed the ultra competitive Ladbrokes Trophy in imperious fashion before Christmas and most recently putting several higher-rated rivals to the sword on his prep run at Kelso. Furthermore, he’ll be fresher than many having had just the three runs this term.
- He’s incredibly well handicapped as a result of the Aintree weights being framed before his latest success, with just 10st 5lb to carry. Essentially, if the handicapper had his way he’d be carrying a stone more on his back and just 7lb less than top weight Bristol De Mai (has to concede 23lb in reality).
- He promises to stay every yard of the 4m21/2f trip based on his performances – he was a good third in the 2019 Scottish Grand National run over four miles when still a novice – and he’s a safe jumper to boot, completing the course in all of his 11 chase starts (form figures of 31134328311).
- Ground conditions should be to his liking as while there’s some rain the forecast, it has been relatively dry for a good while now and it’s hard to see the ground turning too soft for him. He’s fairly ordinary on such a surface but simply great on good.
- He likes to be ridden prominently. More often than not these days, National winners are ridden handily throughout and long gone are the days when horses could be ‘hunted around’ at the back of the field for a circuit. With 30 fences to jump and 39 other horses to avoid, being up with the van and away from any potential trouble is a definite advantage.
- Tom Scudamore, his big race pilot and on board for both his wins this season, has plenty of experience over the National fences, albeit he’s yet to finish closer than sixth in 18 attempts. In Cloth Cap, the 38 year-old won’t get many better chances of breaking his duck.
So all things considered the 4/1 on offer doesn’t look as stingy as it might first seem, and it wouldn’t surprise if he went off at even shorter.
2021 Grand National betting Tips
Grand National bookmakers are renowned for cutting prices on every National runner in the run-up and once the early-morning guarantees have been honoured, with genuine 50/1 chances going off at 25/1 and more fancied runners being slashed further.
The message is clear. GET ON EARLY and whichever horse you decide to back – Cloth Cap is surely worth at least a saver but more advice on that here – DO TAKE A PRICE (this should appear on the online bet slip) and not the starting price (SP).
Cloth Cap is now 11/2 favourite at Betfair to win the Grand National
* Grand National odds correct at the time of writing. All odds are subject to change.
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