Joker De Mai was in the middle of running a nice race, and looked in with a chance of placing in the Foxhunters', but faded late into the race.
Javert Allen didn't get a chance to bowl ahead in front, which is his favourite running style. I think he spat his dummy out when he was positioned towards the rear and landed no blows.
Il Est Francais 14/1 (6pl) – Aintree 4.05
I think this is the last chance saloon for Il Est Francais, who has been a let-down since looking like a potential superstar at Kempton a couple of years ago.
He was touted for big things when he was a novice in France, and delivered an unbelievable performance at Kempton. He went to the King George after flopping a couple of times in France, and put in another bold show to finish second to Banbridge. This year it has been a disaster, and I don't think connections know why.
I think if there's anything that could bring him back to form, it's the Grand National fences. Because we know how quick and good his jumping is, I think this type of fence will spark him to life. Whether he'll be good enough to win or not, time will tell, but I think we'll see a good performance.
The issue of carrying 12 stone is off-putting, but we saw a top weight winner last year, so we know it can be done. The drop in trip isn't an issue for me, he has tonnes of speed, and I think it will be better for him.
I was expecting a bit bigger price, but it seems that the bookies are playing it safe. 14/1 is still an okay price, and I think he could shorten up on the day, given his profile and history.
GambleAware