Rince subject of Grand National plunge

Rince Ri was today the subject of a big ante-post plunge for the Martell Cognac Grand National.

The Ted Walsh-trained 10-year-old has been slashed from 25-1 to 14-1 market leader with William Hill and his odds have tumbled from 33-1 to 20-1 joint second favourite with Coral.

Bets poured in via Coral’s telephone betting centre and its website, producing a six-figure liability within minutes.

“By the time we slashed his odds to 20-1 we had laid Rince Ri to lose over a quarter of a million pounds in less than 10 minutes,” reported Coral spokesman Simon Clare.

“This is by far the biggest pre-Christmas gamble on the Grand National that I can remember.”

Rince Ri finished third to Beef Or Salmon on his reappearance at Punchestown on Sunday, after which Walsh nominated the National as a target.

The Walsh-trained Papillon landed a massive gamble when taking the Aintree spectacular in 2000.

Bookmakers were also hit in this year’s National when another Irish-trained horse, Jimmy Mangan’s Monty’s Pass, pulled off a monster coup.

Monty’s Pass is 16-1 with Hills and 20-1 with Coral to gain a repeat triumph.

Martell Cognac Grand National betting:

Coral: 16-1 Sir Rembrandt, 20-1 Rince Ri, Ad Hoc, Chives, Davids Lad, Monty’s Pass, Amberleigh House, Ryalux, Hedgehunter, Joss Naylor, 25-1 Macs Gildoran, Timbera, Swansea Bay, The Premier Cat, Clan Royal, What Odds, 33-1 bar.

William Hill: 14-1 Rince Ri, 16-1 Monty’s Pass, 20-1 Amberleigh House, Davids Lad, Joss Naylor, Sir Rembrandt, 25-1 Arctic Jack, Ad Hoc, Chives, Clan Royal, Hedgehunter, Kingsmark, Ryalux, Swansea Bay, What’s Up Boys, 33-1 bar.

Ladbrokes: 16-1 Monty’s Pass, 20-1 Davids Lad, Hedgehunter, Rince Ri, 25-1 Joss Naylor, Timbera, Ad Hoc, Amberleigh House, Bindaree, Clan Royal, Chives, Kingsmark, Ryalux, What’s Up Boys, 33-1 bar.