Racing tips: Corach Rambler can give Lucinda Russell a second National success

This tip has expired. Please check our free horse racing tips section of the website to find the most up to date.

Aintree has been very tough over the last couple of days, and day three doesn't look any easier. 

Aintree 2:25 – Mexico 10/1 (0.5pt ew 6pl)

With the ground turning into a bit of a swamp after Day 2, I think Mexico comes into this race with a good ew chance.

He was much improved last time out at Uttoxeter when upped in trip to 3m for the first time. He cruised through that race, and managed to win practically still on the bridle. He has gone up 7lbs for that run, but based on that impressive performance I think he can take the hike in the weights in his stride and prove he is capable of running in a better quality race.

Aintree 3:00 – Kateira 14/1 (0.5pt ew 4pl)

Though there are plenty of horses who are rated in the 140s I don't think it's as good as it might look and you might be better off looking at the outsiders for some value. My dart landed on Kateira who hails from the Dan Skelton yard who likes to target this race for Mares in particular.

Dan won this race in 2021 with My Drogo, who isn't a mare, but last year he had Elle Est Belle running a big race until two out where she went from travelling like a dream to finding nothing at all. Sadly for connections, she was pulled up and was a fatality, but she looked sure to be booked for the places until her stamina tailed off. In 2018 they ran Momella in this and she managed to finish third, probably getting outstayed again, though both of those mares were higher rated than Kateira, they didn't have the staying pedigree that she has, she is related is El Presente who stayed 3m+ with ease and based on her wins in lesser company, she looks like a mare who could easily run over further, but she simply has a very good cruising speed and turn of foot at this trip to make her just as effective over 2m 4f.

Considering this mare is running off a handicap mark of 128 in a Grade 1 it makes you think if they think she is as good as they think she is, why didn't they try and exploit that handicap mark and go for some nice handicaps? A good run in this race will blow her handicap mark well open and scupper potential pots in the future, so that gives me confidence that they think she can come and run a very big race and upset he applecart.

Though her form is done in novice races, she has beaten many who have since won. It's nothing on the level of those at the head of the market who have proven Graded form, but she has beaten the likes of Ilovethenightlife by 13.25L, and that horse cantered up in a Newbury Listed Mares Hurdle race a few weeks ago, so there is definitely substance to her form.

Aintree 3:35 – Flooring Porter 9/2 (1pt)

I was kicking myself last year when Sire Du Berlais won at 16/1, I put him up for the Pertemps at Cheltenham that year where he didn't run a great race so for him to go to Aintree and win and those odds haunted me, however, we all know I got my money back when he won for us at advised odds of 50/1 to win the Stayers' last month. He is much shorter for this race, and rightly so, but I can let him slide at those odds and I think a horse who ran in the Stayers' and might have improved for the run is Flooring Porter.

It was well documented that Flooring Porter didn't have an ideal preparation for the Stayers' this year, he ran in the same prep race at Leopardstown as when he won it the year before, but he had a few problems on the gallops/training and Gavin Cromwell didn't manage to get full training him until a couple of weeks before the Festival, so for him to finish fourth and run as well as he did was a great effort. Backing horses who had tough races at Cheltenham for Aintree isn't ideal, but I'm hoping that he will have come on plenty for that race, as even though Gavin said he was spot on for the race, he was never going to come in and say he had no chance, but I think this race will be where we see the best Flooring Porter. He is a dual Stayers' hurdle winner and a horse who can be extremely tough to pass if given an easy lead, which they normally let him get.

Marie's Rock burnt a lot of fingers at Cheltenham, mine included, but I cannot be having her as a favourite for this race. People were very keen on her going up to 3m, I always thought she pulled too much through the early stages of her race to get 3m, and that happened at Cheltenham over 2m 4f in the Mares' Hurdle. If the ground was on the good side I thought Proschema had a squeak in this at huge odds, he would've been planned this race since winning at Wetherby earlier in the season, and Dan Skelton has gone close in this race a few times, so will have him spot on and fresh for this.

Aintree 4:15 – Coconut Splash 14/1 (0.5pt ew 4pl)

I hate to say but I've been drawn into backing Coconut Splash, yet again.

He's been a tip on this page a couple of times by me, but also Cairnzy who stuck him up for his latest run at Hereford where he finished 2nd in a three-runner race. At a first glance, I thought that wasn't great form and Coconut Splash did Coconut Splash things, looking like he's got a chance of winning before not finding much and not winning, but the winner was clearly a well-handicapped animal that day so Coconut Splash did very well to somewhat make a race of it. The winner was running off a mark of 134, and recorded an RPR of 147 to win that day, he has since won a Grade 2 in good style, recording an RPR of 151, so Coconut Splash had a very slim chance of winning that day based on that.

That run at Hereford was Coconut Splash's first attempt at 3m or over since his first-ever run as a horse in a PTP, which he won in good style. Adam Wedge looked after him that day when he knew he wasn't going to beat City Chief, and it seemed like a practice run for the future to see how he'd run over 3m, and I think he passed with flying colours. Evan Williams is a good target trainer and I get the feeling today's race has been on the agenda for some time for this horse. Evan doesn't have a great record at Aintree, but in the last couple of seasons, he's had some very good efforts at this meeting in particular. Dans Le Vent finished 2nd in 2021 at this meeting, The Last Day won last year and finished 3rd in the same race yesterday.

Coconut Splash is out of the handicap, but only by 2 lbs, and based on some of his recent efforts that isn't a problem at all. He finished 3rd in a Grade 3 at Wetherby at the start of the season and has some smart form from a few seasons ago when finishing in the places behind some nice types. He will stay today's trip and his PTP form looks very good if you look through those he beat. Vanilier was PU in that race, he is fancied to run a big race in the Grand National today and is a Grade 1 winner. Mossy Fen was in that race, albeit he fell at the first, but he has turned into a nice horse and was the same odds as Coconut Splash when running in the PTP. Beyond The Pale is only a 118-rated horse, but he was a good 20L behind my selection that day.

Aintree 5:15 (Grand National) – Corach Rambler 9/1 (0.75pt ew) & Mr Incredible 14/1 (0.5pt ew) 6 places

It might be boring going for one of the favourites for the Grand National, and it normally would be something I wouldn't do, but Corach Rambler's chance of winning this race is there for all to see.

This horse is my favourite jumps horse in training, without a doubt. He has won me some big money over the years, especially the two wins at the Cheltenham Festival when landing back-to-back Ultima Chases. He is a quirky horse, there's no denying it and he will have to be ridden ice cold like normal, which isn't ideal in the National as you'd like your horse to get a clear sight at the fences, but this lad has to be ridden with restraint from the back on the inside, so there is going to be a good chance he gets brought down or falls, but if he's pitching away and makes it round the first circuit, he's going to be there with every chance.

He made mincemeat of the Ultima field when slicing through the pack in March, and though it's normally a tough task to come from off the pace in this race, I think he is more than capable of doing it. He's got a great cruising speed in the staying races, and he has to be delivered late as once he hits the front his brain will start to wander and you don't know what he'll do. He's done it all of his career, and he idles when he hits the front, but if he takes to the fences, he's going to have a huge chance. He's 10lb well-in in the handicap after his win at Cheltenham and he is trained by the right trainer in Lucinda Russell who won this race with the late One For Arthur who recently passed away, so it would also be great for connections to win it for those reasons too.

My second fancy is Mr Incredible, trained by the master, Willie Mullins.

I think this type of trip is what this horse has been crying out for all along. He is a plodder, he is a stayer, but similar to Corach Rambler he is quirky and the race could be over before it begins with this lad as he is a thinker. The same comments apply to Mr Incredible, if he's still going with a circuit to go, I think we're in with a great chance. I have no doubts about him staying the trip, he was 2nd in the Classic Chase at Warwick over 3m 5f and that seemed too short of a trip, as he was flying home. He recently finished 3rd over 3m 2f at Cheltenham, and similar comments apply to this race, where he was held up from off the pace and stayed on strongly until hitting the last fence.

If he takes to the fences, which is always an unknown, I think he has a great chance. Thankfully, Brian Hayes is back in the saddle as I don't really rate Patrick Mullins as a rider against the pros.

Aintree 6:20 – Go To War 20/1 (0.5pt ew 4pl)

Bumpers of this nature are always competitive and always wide-open, so you can often find some good value at big prices and I'm hoping Go To War can run a big race for the Fergal O'Brien stable.

Fergal has targeted this race in the past two years with some smart horses, but he hit the crossbar on both occasions. Last year Hullnback finished as runner-up at odds of 16/1 and the year before Peking Rose was a close runner-up at odds of 50/1, so the odds available for his sole runner in this event doesn't bother me in the slightest. His runners are often overlooked when it comes to the big races as even though he is a great trainer with good strike rates across the board, punters latch onto the Irish or the bigger UK yards, but it doesn't mean Fergal's aren't there with a good chance.

I was impressed with this lad's only run to date at Uttoxeter. He had to be bumped along to get into the top gears, but when he did he wasn't for stopping and I think he was only getting going that day, managing to win easier than the winning distances would suggest. He looked a bit raw that day, with plenty of mental maturing to do as he didn't look totally straightforward, so the time off the track isn't a concern for me as he will be fresh for the race and will have been growing up at home rather than on the racetrack.

The form of the race looks okay, with the runner-up bolting up the time after by 18L. Fergal landed the Mares' bumper on Friday, and has many live chances on Friday, with this meeting being one he tends to target.

Horse Racing Tips

🔗 Share Your Horse Racing Tips on Social Media