The Grand National Trial is a Grade Three race for horses aged five years and over and is held over a distance of 3m 4f at Haydock Park.

The contest provides National Hunt racing fans with further clues ahead of the Grand National itself in April, and this year the race includes seven horses that have also been entered for the Aintree marathon.

Those horses and their respective positions in the Aintree weights are as follows: Elegant Escape (8), Ballyoptic (19), Yala Enki (21), Vintage Clouds (30), One For Arthur (52), Lord Du Mesnil (57) and Steely Addition (60).

 

Trends & Statistics

• Age: 10/10 winners were aged between 8 and 10.
• Price: 2/10 favourites have won, 4/10 winners were from the top 3 in the horse racing betting.
• Previous run: 6/10 won on their last run before the Grand National Trial, 10/10 winners ran within the last 54 days. 4/10 winners ran in the Welsh National on their last outing, 1 won and 1 placed.
• Rating: 8/10 winners were rated 138 or higher.
• Course form: 9/10 winners had at least 1 previous run at Haydock, 3/10 winners had at least 1 previous win at Haydock.
• Graded wins: 5/10 winners had at least 1 previous win in a Grade 1-3 race.

 

Runner-by-runner guide:

Elegant Escape (Colin Tizzard)

Colin Tizzard’s eight-year-old may not have managed to get his head back in front since he landed the 2018 Welsh Grand National but he is still clearly the class act in this field.

Placed in two Ladbrokes Trophy’s, he’s the highest rated of any of his Aintree comtempories here and he should go well.

However, as a betting proposition he’s probably one to be wary of as top weights with serious Grand National credentials traditionally tend to be “looked after” in this contest.

Yala Enki (Paul Nicholls)

Yala Enki won this race in 2018 by an absolute street when he was trained by Venetia Williams and comes into this race on the back of a tidy win in the Portman Cup at Taunton.

The ten-year-old races off an 11lb higher mark than his 2018 victory but he is clearly in good heart and appears to relish the testing conditions at Haydock.

He potentially stands on the verge of sporting history after this race when he will be ridden next time by Bryony Frost, who will be bidding to become the first female rider to win the Grand National.

For those reasons alone he’s not a win bet for me in the context of this race.

Ballyoptic (Nigel Twiston-Davies)

Ballyoptic won Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase back in November when his stamina came to the fore in the deteriorating conditions at the West Yorkshire track.

If the forecasters are to be believed we could be heading for a similarly grotesque afternoon on Saturday which would bring the ten-year-old right into play.

Ballyoptic was a Scottish National runner-up and was still going well when falling late on in last year’s Grand National, so this is the perfect prep race for him.

Vintage Clouds (Sue Smith)

Vintage Clouds scored by seven lengths here in the Peter Marsh Chase last month, galloping his rivals into submission from the front.

His Haydock record is impeccable and reads like this - 12222F32131 and he is clearly in his element over park fences.

Two outings over the Aintree fences have been fruitless to say the least, so this race can be classed as his own personal Grand National and he should reward the each-way backers.

One For Arthur (Lucinda Russell)

Lucinda Russell is no stranger to landing the silverware in this race after she sent out the aptly named Silver By Nature to land back-to-back renewals in 2010 and 2011 and again with Lie Forrit in 2015.

The 2017 Grand National hero has been slowly but surely nursed back to health after an injury and is apparently in rude health at the moment.

Lie Forrit won this as an eleven-year-old so don’t let the recent age statistics put you off him.

Steely Addition (Philip Hobbs)

Steely Addition was entered for the Welsh National but unfortunately never made it there and this is his first run for 97 days.

The eight-year-old appears to perform well at undulating tracks so a flat  track like Haydock is somewhat of a worry.

Lord Du Mesnil (Richard Hobson)

This talented seven-year-old has clocked up an impressive three-timer and taken two of Haydock Park’s most esteemed staying chases over the winter.

He’s also gone up 25lbs to boot, but will that be enough to bring his winning streak to an end?

One thing is for certain – he will jump boldly from the front and will give you a good run for your money, win or lose.

The Two Amigos (Nicky Martin)

This race is quite often a misnomer when it comes to the race title as a horse without a Grand National entry regularly goes on to win it. This year that very horse could be The Two Amigos.

The gelding was quite well fancied in this last year (fell at the 14th) and receives lumps of weight from the likes of Elegant Escape, Yala Enki and Ballyoptic.

Being an eight-year-old also ticks another box in his favour and on the whole he’s a sound jumper.

Geronimo (Sandy Thomson)

Geronimo stayed on well in the Peter Marsh Chase to finish third behind Vintage Clouds.

Whether a turnabout in the weights will be enough to reverse that form, I have my doubts, as he was making no impression over an ever shorter distance that day.

Pobbles Bay (Evan Williams)

A ten-year-old gelding who tends to save all his best performances for the Welsh tracks. He looks well up against it in this company though despite his low weight.

Smooth Stepper (Alex Hales)

A likeable veteran who was formerly trained by Sue Smith and had a certain degree of success under her tutelage. So far the eleven-year-old has failed to get his head in front for his current trainer.

Conclusion: Who Wins?

As I mentioned earlier in the piece, if we even manage to get to this race in the Saturday afternoon proceedings then stamina will most certainly come into the equation.

The two horses I feel would be best equipped to cope with the conditions are Ballyoptic (nb *with a run) and Vintage Clouds (nap), with my slight preference just going to the latter.

888sport suggests: Vintage Clouds e/w

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Thibault Camus / AP Photo*

First ran in 2005, the Ryanair Chase is now one of the most eagerly anticipated races at the Cheltenham Festival.

This is the ultimate test for middle distance chasers, with 17 fences to be jumped on the New Course at Prestbury Park. It is the ultimate test of speed, stamina and desire.

While the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup are more prestigious, the Ryanair Chase offers connections a chance to claim Grade One glory at the Cheltenham Festival.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most important Ryanair Chase trends and statistics.

Ryanair Chase Trends & Statistics

There are plenty of betting trends to follow for the Ryanair Chase – here are the key trends ahead of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival:

• 15/15 winners went off no bigger than 16/1 in horse racing odds.
• All 15 had started one or two races in the 90 days prior to Cheltenham.
• 15 out of 15 had won with same jockey onboard.
• 15/15 had at least two starts with the same jockey onboard.
• 14 of the 15s last win came at an English racecourse.
• 14 of the 15 winners ran in a field of six or more runners last time out.
• 14/15 had raced at least three times in Class 1 company.
• 14 out of 15 had previously raced at least two times at Cheltenham.
• 13/15 winners had made between two and four starts that season.
• 13 of the 15 winners had previously won over two miles five furlongs.

Top Trainers For The Ryanair Chase

Paul Nicholls is the most successful trainer in this race with three victories, most recently with Frodon at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

He will be back to defend his crown in 2020 and regular partner Bryony Frost will be jockeyed up for the second year in a row – could we see an emotional repeat at Prestbury Park?

Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins have two wins apiece in this race and both trainers will have a couple of market principles for the 2020 Ryanair Chase.

Min has had to settle for second best in the two-mile chasing division behind Altior over the years but could be the one to watch as he steps up in trip.

 

Ryanair Chase Prize Money

There was a total prize fund of £350,000 up for grabs in the 2019 Ryanair Chase, making it one of the most lucrative races at the Cheltenham Festival.

With so much at stake, the best mid-distance chasers are likely to go to war at Prestbury Park – the Ryanair Chase could be one of the races of the week.

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*Credit for the photo in this article belongs to Alamy*

Climbing the all-time All-Star appearance list requires elite talent and longevity.

Only the best in a given season get selected to the All-Star game and maintaining that over the best part of two decades is an achievement reserved for inner-circle Hall of Famers.

Of course, there are a few sentimental selections along the way, too. The list below shows the players with the most NBA All-Star appearances, featuring several players with a claim as the greatest to ever do it.

 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 19

Despite having the most All-Star appearances ever, six rings and being the NBA’s all-time top scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s place in the best NBA team is still up for debate.

Some would put Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan ahead of the six-time MVP. Kareem’s skyhook is as close to unstoppable as anything the NBA has seen.

 

Kobe Bryant – 18

The late Kobe Bryant ended his career one short of his fellow Lakers icon. Black Mamba was the youngest All-Star starter in league history in 1998.

Despite missing out in 1999, he was back on the roster in 2000 and was selected to every All-Star game from then on until his retirement.

Bryant picked up three rings alongside O’Neal at the start of the century and went back-to-back with Pau Gasol later in the decade.

 

LeBron James – 16

LeBron James remains among the best players in the NBA. His 16th All-Star selection in 2020 will not be his last, and he could be top of the pile by the time he calls it a day.

James’ career started in high school. Touted for superstardom from a young age, he has delivered throughout, winning in Miami and returning to Cleveland to deliver a title for the Cavaliers with the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history.

He’s now looking to lead the Lakers to their first chip in 10 years.

Shaquille O’Neal – 15

Shaquille O’Neal might be the most dominant player the league has seen. One can’t help but wonder what the league would’ve looked like if he and Kobe Bryant had stuck together.

As it was, O’Neal retired as a four-time champion with three Finals MVPs. He’s fourth all-time in career PER, behind LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Anthony Davis.

 

Kevin Garnett – 15

The best player in Minnesota Timberwolves history, and by quite a distance, Kevin Garnett collected the majority of his All-Star appearances while on the T-Wolves before the blockbuster trade that saw him join Paul Pierce in Boston.

Garnett won the 2008 championship with the Celtics – he finished his career with nine All-NBA selections on top of the 15 All-Star nods.

 

Tim Duncan – 15

A pillar of consistency, Tim Duncan won five titles across a decorated career that included 15 All-Star selections.

Duncan, known as ‘The Big Fundamental’, was the foundation of one of the greatest NBA dynasties in San Antonio, and a playoff streak that remains active.

Only six players in NBA history registered more win shares than Duncan. Four of them are on this list.

 

Michael Jordan – 14

His Airness would be a bit higher on this list if he hadn’t taken a mid-career break to try his hand at baseball.

Michael Jordan transcended basketball, taking the sport to new audiences. He has become an immensely successful businessman and the Jordan brand is one of the most recognisable around.

With five MVPs, six rings and six Finals MVPs, the 14 All-Star appearances are overshadowed on any list of Jordan’s achievements. That says it all.

Karl Malone – 14

The second-highest point scorer in NBA history, Karl Malone has everything but a ring on his CV. He has the joint-second most All-NBA first team selections alongside two pretty big names: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Malone’s partnership with John Stockton owns an array of NBA records. The duo mastered the pick-and-roll.

The Mailman’s place in NBA history is a point of relative controversy, but there’s no doubt he’s one of the greatest power forwards to play the game.

 

Dirk Nowitzki – 14

Dirk Nowitzki’s 14th and final All-Star appearance came in 2019 as a gesture to his and Dwyane Wade’s retirements.

Nowitzki is the greatest European player in the history of the NBA and has 12 All-NBA selections on top of his 14 All-Star picks.

Like so many players on this list, Nowitzki’s trademark move will forever be associated with his game and what he brought to the Dallas Mavericks.

 

Jerry West – 14

A long-time Laker, The Logo was an All-Star regular during the 1960s and early 70s. Jerry West was a champion in 1972 alongside Wilt Chamberlain and he famously picked up Finals MVP in 1969 despite being on the losing side.

West went on to coach the Lakers and become general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies.

In recent years he has been an advisor for the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers and remains one of the most respected voices in the league.

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to George Brich / AP Photo*