Snowy Morning no Grand National good thing - Mullins
Coral, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power have the Royal & SunAlliance Chase runner-up as their new 10-1 market leader after senior handicapper Phil Smith allotted him just 10st 12lb for the famous race yesterday.
William Hill and Aintree’s official betting partner totesport make the eight-year-old their 12-1 favourite following the release of the weights at a lunch in central London, but County Carlow-based Mullins expressed reservations about Snowy Morning’s lack of experience.
After finishing fourth over fences at Punchestown last April, the eight-year-old has only raced three times this season, yielding two smooth wins over hurdles but failing to get past the seventh fence in the Hennessy.
Mullins said: “Snowy Morning has lovely potential but I do think he has enough weight. He is only a second-season novice and hasn’t completed over fences this year. I do think he is harshly treated given the record of second-season novices’ in the National.”
Mullins’ National stalwart Hedgehunter, who romped home over the famous fences in 2005, will again take his chance and was allotted 11st 9lb for this year’s renewal on April 5 while stablemate Rule Supreme has been given 11st 5lb.
Mullins added: “As a trainer I am probably never happy with the weights!
“I know it is hard for Phil, but Hedgehunter is now a 12-year-old who hasn’t won for three years and I thought he might have a bit less weight.
“But I am pleased to be able to take him back to Aintree and try again with him and hopefully he can pick up some place money. I think Phil has done a nice job with Rule Supreme, who looks to be the lowest-rated Grade One winner in the race.”
Snowy Morning replaced or joined Mr Pointment at the head of the betting with most firms after Paul Nicholls’ Becher Chase winner drew 11st 8lb.
Explaining the decision to stay on the right side of Mullins’ youngster, totesport’s Damian Walker said: “If you look how Snowy Morning ran behind Denman in the SunAlliance then he might have about 10lb in hand.
“If he produces his SunAlliance form then he must have a squeak, whereas Mr Pointment’s chance must have been compromised by his weight.”
And champion trainer Nicholls admits Mr Pointment’s Becher Chase win could cost him dear.
He said: “Obviously I’d prefer a few pounds lower and he’s got plenty of weight. I suppose we are 4lb lower than Beef Or Salmon so that might be fair enough, but we have slightly shot ourselves in the foot by running in the Becher.”
Mr Pointment’s burden has seen him drift in the betting with Coral and he is now a 14-1 shot with the Barking firm.
Bewleys Berry finished second behind Mr Pointment in the Becher and has been given 10st 11lb – much to the delight of trainer Howard Johnson.
He said: “I’m happy with that, very pleased in fact.
“We’ll give him one more run and then go to Aintree nice and fresh. He’s in at Newbury on Saturday but I could go to the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster with him.”
Another of the leading contenders is the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Butler’s Cabin and the general 16-1 chance will be bidding to add the race to his CV after scoring at the Cheltenham Festival and in the Irish National last term.
O’Neill said: “He seems in good form and he does jump and stay. He hasn’t been to Aintree before but I think he is big enough to take to the fences and if he does take to them then he has a live chance.
“He ran well first time out at Leicester but was very disappointing on Saturday at Sandown.
“He ran no race but seems OK after it. He did collapse after his races at Cheltenham and Fairyhouse and that might have got to him and he might be thinking about it.
“We have had him checked out and he seems fine and we’ll have to give him another run before Aintree.”
Michael Hourigan’s 10-time Grade One winner Beef Or Salmon heads the handicap on 11st 12lb and is rated as a 40-1 chance with Ladbrokes.
Hourigan said: “Beef Or Salmon is a runner as of now and is a wonderful horse.
“He has been a star to the stable and to me. We’ll see how he runs on Sunday in the Hennessy, but all the jockeys who have ridden him like Paul Carberry and Timmy Murphy say he feels like a National horse.
“I think he would love the challenge of a National – he stays well and would appreciate soft ground. I did expect he would have top weight.”
