Well we are now less than a fortnight away from the start of the Aintree Grand National Meeting 2010, and I think it's time for a thread to start, with "National News" beginning to up a notch or two.

Here's a general summary of the recent points.

1) The Aintree Grand National Meeting will be the first to be screened in High Definition. Also there will be two "high-speed" cameras at Bechers Brook and The Chair.

2) The currently planned Rail Strike is set to cause chaos for the 1st two days of the meeting, with travel from London to Liverpool difficult and NO trains from Liverpool to Aintree.

3) Groundwise the current situation is Good to Soft on the National Course and Good to Soft, Good in places on the Hurdles and Mildmay, and there are currently no plans to water.

4) At the current 75 entrant stage, notable absentees are Albertas Run, Taranis and Our Vic. Also at present Silver Birch (51), Chief Dan George (57) are set to miss out by weights, though Venetia Williams is hopeful Flintoff (49) will make the cut.

[uCurrent Confirmed/Predicted Mounts[/u
Big Fella Thanks - Ruby Walsh (C)
Arbor Supreme - Paul Townend (C)
Mom Mome - Aidan Coleman
Don't Push It or Can't Buy Time - AP McCoy
King Johns Castle (if ran) - Paul Carberry or Davy Russell
Tricky Trickster - Barry Geraghty
Nozic - Liam Treadwell

Let the discussion begin & Good Luck.

Boylesports Grand National each way terms 1/4 odds 1,2,3,4,5,6.

My money's on Dusty Carpet.

Creosote is a favourite of mine over fences.

Latest bits of news ...

Denman has registered for the Scottish National, prompting David Pipe to confirm his intent to run Madison du Berlais in the Grand National at Aintree, also signing up for the Totesport Bowl he won in 2009.

Whilst Tom Mullins "Made In Taipan" will line up in the National if there is a bit of rain ahead of raceday.

Only a week to go!

Dessie Hughes Becher Chase Winners Black Apalachi (Denis O’Regan) and Vic Venturi (Paddy Flood) head the Irish Challenge along with the Willie Mullins pair Arbor Supreme (Paul Townend) and Snowy Morning (David Casey).

Imperial Commander may run in Thursdays Totesport Bowl.

Opposition could include Lexus Chase winner What A Friend and Ryanair Chase victor Albertas Run.

Mullins was quoted on Thursday as saying "We're still considering running Made In Taipan in the National, although a decision probably won't be made until next week".

Meanwhile stablemate Chelsea Harbour will miss the National having been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Grand National Week is now upon us.

Madison du Berlais remains registered for the race as top-weight, and Imperial Commander remains an entry for the Totesport Bowl.

Flintoff is on course to scrape into the 40, and Silver Birch is 41st at present, and Big Bucks will run in the Liverpool Hurdle.

Sam Thomas will not be riding in the meeting and ground is expected to be no worse than Good to Soft.

[url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/racing/article7028918.eceGrand National runners guide (Source: The Times Online)[/url

Looking forward to it already.

Going to back Madison Du Berlais and a few others. Hopefully its a good day of the sport!

Wish they would have more ante post markets up I want to get stuck in

Big Bucks and Imperial Commander double.

Looking like being Wishfull Thinking in the last tomorrow was going well in the Coral Cup until falling

Watch out for Phidippides one of big Williams winners after beating Quantitativeeasing its down for either Friday or Saturday JWP knows about this one, this has been its target all season.

so aintree is upon us.... had my fingers burnt in the past backing the winners at cheltenham that then go on to run stinkers here so BEWARE!! aintree is such a differant track

2.55 aintree is a very intresting race with some good horses such as sanctuaire, my voici, barizan and notus de la tour

backed barizan at chelt

going with notus de la tour here, as i did at cheltenham, at 8/1, 7lb better off with sanctuaire and i think this track will suit better plus pipe horses are in form, sanctuaire only 2/1 which i think is too short.

At the moment I'm looking at Mon Mome, becoming the first back to back winner for 36 years. Ran well at Cheltenham for a place, running on past beaten horses, and sure to offer good value again.

I also like the look of Whinstone Boy if he gets in.

Well i truly cannot wait for this meeting, seems like one of the best in recent years, especially Saturday's card.

My Thursday picks aren't concrete yet, will post changes if made.

[u2:00 - BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle[/u
Big Bucks and Souffleur

[u2:35 - Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices´ Hurdle[/u
Me Voici and Notus de la Tour.

[u3:10 - Totesport Bowl Chase[/u
What A Friend (Really think Imperial Commander is vulnerable so soon after the Gold Cup)

[u3:45 - John Smith's Foxhunters Chase[/u
Christy Beamish and Joaaci

[u4:20 - Alder Hey Imagine Appeal Red Rum Handicap Chase[/u
Lord Jay Jay and Pret a Thou

[u4:55 - Totepool Manifesto Novices' Chase[/u
Somersby and Othermix (Othermix seems a solid e/w shout)

[u5:30 - Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle[/u
Black Jack Blues and Wishfull Thinking

Best of luck all.

Early calls:
Hello Bud 50/1 ew
Comply or Die 25/1
Silver Birch 100/1 ew
Big Fella Thanks 9/1
Mon Mome 12/1

Thoughts very much appreciated

Deep Purple is 8/1 for the Melling chase on Friday...Hello

Silly 440/1 E/W acca

Big Buck's @ 3/10
Wishfull Thinking @ 6/1
Imperial Commander @ 10/11
Sanctuaire @ 15/8 (GP)
Deep Purple @ 8/1

Deep Purple @ 8/1 E/W for the Melling chase

Flintoff @ 66-1 each way
Can't Buy Time @ 20-1 On the nose

Today

2:00 Big Buck's
2:35 Barizan
3:10 Imperial Commander
3.45 Baby Run
4:20 Stan
4:55 Hey Big Spender & Othermix
5:30 Maraafeq

Today

14:35 - Notus De La Tour - Ex-French horse for David Pipe, was arguably unlucky in running when contesting the Fred Winter Novices Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, has a pull at the weights with the winner on that form (not enough on paper to turn the form around) but it's his previous run that I'm most interested in. Was at Plumpton specifically to see (and back) this horse make his British debut having romped home by 20 lengths in a claiming hurdle at Auteuil. He was well backed at Plumpton which is a track like Aintree that's flat and left-handed and wasn't under too much pressure to beat Ranjobaie (subsequently beaten less than a neck in a Graded Hurdle at Sandown and a winner on his next start). The Cheltenham race marked a change of tactics for the horse and hopefully with some pace in the race (Barizan) they'll try and ride the horse handier this time.

Advice: 1pt win, 1pt place @ 17/2 - Stan James

15:45 - Nedzer's Return - Gordon Elliott trained Irish contender who's looked an improved horse since contesting Hunter Chases winning two from two at Fairyhouse and Down Royal. There are winners in behind in both races -most notably Rapid Artis who fell three out in the Fairyhouse contest and went on to slam the useful pointer Outlaw Pete by 19 lengths at Cork on Monday. There will be on worries over the trip for Nedzer who's two HC wins have come at 2m 6f - just half a furlong further than todays trip.

Advice: 2pts Win, 1pt place @ 14/1 - Stan James

15:45 - Penny Doc - Useful enough in his day over in Ireland but has been tremendously successful since being switched to the Surrey yard of leading point-to-point trainer Phil York. He wasn't beaten far in a Mens Open at Detling which was won by today's rival Reach For The Top (subsequently a hard pulling third in the Cheltenham Foxhunters). He's won a 2m 5f Novices Hunter Chase at Fakenham since in style having been left clear at the last and is a very big price today.

Advice: 1pt Win, 1pt place @ 50/1 - General

17:30 - Black Jack Blues - Bumper winner in early 2009 who's come good recently in novice hurdles for his shrewd young trainer. He's won his last two novice hurdles in style with bold front running displays under Champion Jockey Tony McCoy (unavailable today due to being retained to ride JP McManus' horses) and the booking of Barry Gerraghty is a positive. (2 wins from 3 rides for the yard). The step back up to 2m 4f is a slight concern as the only time he's run over the distance he was beaten by the useful Pipe trained hurdler Chartreux but at 20/1 he looks worth a small bet.

Advice: 1pt Win, 1pt place @ 20/1 - Bet365, Victor Chandler

Good Luck all

Martin

2.00 - Bouggler (e/w)

2.35 - Sanctuaire (Nap)

3.10 - Imperial Commander

3.45 - Nedzers Return

4.20 - Lennon

4.55 - Somersby

5.30 - El Dancer (e/w)

Are my picks on day one, hoping for a better effort than Cheltenham.

Done a decent treble with Big Bucks, Sanctuaire and Somersby...Going against what I usually believe for Aintree backing horses that have run well at Cheltenham, but Big Bucks is bombproof, Sanctuaire could be absolutely anything after winning as he liked at Cheltenham and certainly not one I'd like to back against and Somersby gave a good account at Aintree last year so should again this hopefully...

spot on with notus de la tour.. saw it win at plumpton and was very impressed , hope it does the business today


also

Chaninbar 4.20 .25/1 e/w big price if bounces back to form

mad max.4.55. 6/1 was running a massive race in the arkle till it nearly fell! could of finished infront of somersby... looking at the prices i know the one id rather be on

honest john.5.30. 22/1