Andy Holding's Grand National Saturday Tips & Preview

The ground wouldn’t want to dry up too much for POKER PLAY (best price 9-1), but such was his dominance of a quality field of handicappers at Uttoxeter last time out, that he’s fancied to offset that possible issue.

Always travelling supremely well at the Midland venue, David Pipe’s gelding picked up the running at the first one going down the far side second time around and from that point onwards he just kept winding up the pace and gradually getting everything off the bridle. By the time he’d jumped the last, the son of Martaline had established an unassailable advantage and when you consider the likes of the strongly fancied trio, Acey Milan, Hill Sixteen and Bold Plan were left trailing in his wake, it really was a truly awesome display by this revitalised character. Although he’s stepping up in trip today, the six-year-old has run well over further in the past, and hailing from a stable that has captured this race three times – including last year with Mr Big Shot – it makes perfect sense to have a few quid on this in-form stayer at the peak of his powers.

BALLY CONOR (NAP) (best price 6-4) has run two promising races against some pretty useful novice company and he looks poised to strike at the third time of asking at a track where he’s gone well in the past. A heavy ground bumper winner at Ayr back in November, Ruth Jefferson’s gelding ran better than his finishing position suggested on hurdling debut at Market Rasen two starts ago and he put that valuable experience to good use here last time out when making the well-backed Imperial Aura work hard for his corn in another above-average affair. Although he shapes as though he’ll probably do better over further in time, he shown more than enough quality and pace to suggest 2m4f is fine for the time being and with his jumping also coming along nicely with more practice, the six-year-old should take all the beating before going on to better things.

Apple’s Jade put up one of her career-best performances over today’s course as a juvenile, but equally, she arrives here off the back of one of her more baffling displays at Cheltenham just 25 days ago and at a very short price, she just simply carries too many risks. The same can’t be said, however, about the current wellbeing of both ROKSANA (best price 10-1) and WILLIAM HENRY (best price 10-1) and they look the two most solid each-way options at the morning odds.

The former was clearly a fortuitous winner at the festival thanks to the fall of Benie Des Dieux at the last, but even if the hot favourite had stood on her feet, it still would have gone down as a tremendous effort by Dan Skelton’s mare in the scheme of things and she deserves more respect than she’s afforded judged on her position in the market. Let’s not forget that she was the only one to offer any resistance to Santini in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle over today’s C&D last season and it was only the fact that the eventual winner raced on the better part of the track down the home straight that the result turned out the way it did. Clearly a strong stayer at the trip, she arrives here in the form of her life and having yet to be out of the frame in eight career starts, it’s hard to see her not keeping that record intact with conditions to suit.

The latter is clearly a difficult one to catch right, but as we witnessed in the Coral Cup, he can be very good when he’s in the mood and everything falls just right. Still with plenty to do at the Festival with two to jump, Nicky Henderson’s gelding put in a power-packed finish to get up in the dying strides and that victory is sure to have given him plenty of confidence going forward. A similar type to old stable star, Whisper, who landed this prize in 2014 and 2015, it would come as little surprise if the son of King’s Theatre were to prove a dangerous floater.

MISTER MALARKEY (best price 6-1) ran as well as could be expected in what turned out to be a stellar RSA Chase last time out and with his yard gaining a well-needed boost when Lostintranslation took one of the big races here yesterday, there’s a decent chance Colin Tizzard’s gelding can repeat the dose.

Although the son of Malinas proved no match for the big three in the market, he still kept on well to finish an honourable fourth and with the booking of the excellent Jonjo O’Neill Jr in the saddle seen as a massive boost, he has all the tools to go well back in handicap company.

Another who should be capable of figuring prominently is POLYDORA (best price 11-1) representing a stable that landed this prize twelve months ago. Twice Tom Lacey’s inmate has seen the backside of De Rasher Counter this season, but he’s by no means been disgraced and his latest effort when fourth to his old rival at Uttoxeter may have been bettered if it wasn’t for the very testing conditions (went well until two out). Having run well over today’s C&D on better ground last season, that vital track knowledge will stand him in good stead and hailing from a yard in decent form at present, the son of Milan makes plenty of appeal.