Grand National: more than £150 million expecting to be bet on race. 06 Apr 2013, Aintree. Bookies reckon punters will latch on to Seabass

National holding pic 2 (2011)

Grand National: more than £150 million expecting to be bet on race

PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Bookies reckon punters will latch on to Seabass

BY PAUL EACOTT8:10PM 5 APR 2013

FRIDAY may have been Ladies’ Day at Aintree but the bookmakers reckon it could be on Saturday that girl power comes to the fore on Merseyside.

06 Apr 2013, Aintree

SEABASS 9 – ON HIS OWN 9 – CAPPA BLEU 12 – CHICAGO GREY 12 – COLBERT STATION 12 – IMPERIAL COMMANDER 16 – TEAFORTHREE 16 – BALLABRIGGS 14 BALTHAZAR KING 20 – JOIN TOGETHER 20 – RARE BOB 16 – ROBERTO GOLDBACK 20 – SUNNYHILLBOY 16 – ALWAYS WAINING 33 – ACROSS THE BAY 40 – BIG FELLA THANKS 40 – HARRY THE VIKING 40 – QUISCOVER FONTAINE 40 – SOLL 33 – TREACLE 33 – QUEL ESPRIT 50 – JONCOL 40 – LOST GLORY 40 – SAINT ARE 66 – WEIRD AL 66 – WHAT A FRIEND 66 – FORPADYDEPLASTERER 66 – AURORAS ENCORE 80 – BECAUSEICOULDNTSEE 80 – OSCAR TIME 50 – THE RAINBOW HUNTER 80 – ANY CURRENCY 66 – MAJOR MALARKEY 100 – MR MOONSHINE 66 – NINETIETH MINUTE 66 – SWING BILL 80 – TARQUINIUS 80 – TATENEN 66 – VIKING BLOND 80 – MUMBLES HEAD 150.

More than £150 million is expected to be gambled on the John Smith’s Grand National, with a significant percentage of that expected to go onSeabass whose rider Katie Walsh will be aiming to become the first woman to ride the winner of the world’s most famous race.

Last year the duo finished third and the ten-year-old’s trainer, Walsh’s father Ted, said: “After he took so well to the place a year ago, it was always the plan for Seabass to come back and try again.

“He was on the improve last year and I think he’s every bit as good as he was then, but whether he is better I don’t know and he is 5lb higher in the ratings.”

Such is the strength in depth from the remarkable Walsh family that William Hill offer just 33-1 that Katie, and brother Ruby, finish first and second in the National, and 40-1 that a Walsh is connected with the first three home – Ted trains Colbert Station and Seabass.

William Hill PR director Kate Miller said: “This is by far the biggest betting race of the whole year, and we are expecting to take around £25 million on the Grand National. There is always a terrific story around the National winner, but surely none would match the one that would follow a win for Seabass and Katie Walsh and a first female-ridden winner of this famous race.

“The swell of support appears to be building for Katie Walsh, it would be foolhardy to try and second-guess the public in the Grand National, as the oddest gambles spring-up, but it appears that Seabass will go off favourite.”

A survey carried by Coral found that 65 per cent of the adult population of Britain intend to place a bet on the National and they too reckon Seabass, who can be backed at 9-1 on the eve of the race, will be popular.

Head of PR David Stevens said: “As always, we will be running scared of several runners by the time the race begins, and this year we expect Seabass, third last year, to be extremely popular, as he is ridden by Katie Walsh, who is bidding to become the first female jockey to win the race. In fact a win for the pair would be one of the most costly of all time for bookies, with millions paid out to Seabass backers.”

fonte: RacingPost