We've combined tips from our golf and horse racing experts to bring you a special Masters and Aintree cross-sport double that shoots at a best price of 194/1.
2022 Masters - Winner
Niall Lyons' Masters Selection
Justin Thomas takes the headline selection as this looks like the year he could finally conquer Augusta. Thomas has threatened to take the course apart on numerous occasions only for something to get in the way almost each and every time. More often than not that has been has been putting around these treacherous greens. Generally speaking the putter hasn't been an issue this term though finishing inside the top 20 on the greens at both the Valspar and the Genesis recently.
In fact to date this is his bets season with the putter thus far for the past four years. That club can come and go though and as always we rely on a little luck. His game around the green is made for gains around Augusta and I can't see that being an issue this week either. The slight worry is that despite finishing inside the top 25 in his last five efforts at the course, he is yet to pose a serious threat to winning it.
His highest finish (4th) was eight shots behind the runaway winner Dustin Johnson. Johnson himself had a couple of chances here before winning, and Matsuyama had his moments here also before victory, but Thomas has yet to get his teeth into a back nine charge here. That being said, it may be no negative when you consider the ghosts some others have attempted to slay here and fail to do so.
Thomas has no war wounds at Augusta and the place is made for his pinpoint precision with his irons. The big surprise is how long it has taken him to put together a big effort here but Johnson, Matsuyama and Garcia all obliged with a few more miles on the clock. Thomas' game is in great nick, and bar Scheffler probably has the most impressive game on paper this year. It is time for it to translate to his well deserved second major.
3.5pts WIN J.Thomas 14/1
Grand National
Architect Tips' Grand National Selection
The big one of the weekend, the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (17.15pm) on Saturday, and the ultra-consistent ENJOY DALLEN has to merit consideration. His form figures over fences to date reads an impressive 3222112233, while his only attempt over a marathon trip, resulted with an excellent third in last year’s Irish National.
He warmed up for this with a spin over hurdles last-time-out, finishing fifth of 23 which came after a good third in a high-quality renewal of the Paddy Power Chase over the Christmas period. The assessor, on British soil, has given him a mark of 148, which is effectively only 3Ib higher than his Irish mark and he looks set to carry a low-weight too.
He should be well-suited to this stamina test coupled with these unique fences. There’s plenty to like about him and he should be equipped for this tougher test with his confirmed stamina likely to come into significant effect at the business end if he’s within striking distance at the elbow in the colours of JP McManus for the first time.
