Burton Port

I think I'll know after today if I have a runner or not as I don't see any reason to conceal his ability now. He might nor be at full throttle but would like to see him at least challenge for a place.

Bit his tongue too today.

Burton Port, Sunnyhillboy and Alfie Sherrin are three very interesting runners for Jonjo. All three have got a lot going for them. Surely all three can't be aimed at the National.

Interestingly, BP and AS have also got entries in the Festival Chase and the Kim Muir, as has Lost Glory.

I would rather he had stayed on for a place rather than weakened as now I am not sure if he will stay. Having said that we have no idea on his fitness levels and it was heavy ground so at 55 I may as well keep the ticket rather than lay off.

I think it's safe to say Sunnyhillboy has been aimed at this and agree very interesting now he has shown a return to form. Im not convinced the Irish national Alfie Sherrin placed in was anything to write home about. Has to be a negative to all three that McCoy is on T43. I think the fav is very solid and will place but would be surprised if there isn't at least one lurker in the field to beat him.

I think I am being a bit harsh on AS actually after looking again and agree he would also be an interesting runner if he got in.

I'm dying to bet Alfie, but looks to have next to no chance of getting in. Loved his run in The Fixed Brush at Haydock. I'll definitely be betting him, should he run next week.

GCW, why do you think that McCoy will be riding T43?

Sorry Rydal I am mistaken. I was sure I read it somewhere but after searching google there is no news of it. Maybe I misread it as Tony McCoy rides grand national hope after he rode him other week.

Oh wait I did read it on RP site. The exact quote was

"McCoy, who also revealed he is line to partner Curtis's leading Crabbie's Grand National contender Teaforthree in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup and will ride Kid Cassidy in the BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase, has won three times this season on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained More Of That, who is 7-1 for the World Hurdle."

Obv got mixed up between gold cup and National!

Of course - he may end up riding it in the GN if JP agrees; however, I think he'll probably end up on Double Seven, with Carlingford Lough as a real alternative, as things stand at the moment.

Every time I look at the race I really can't find a better handicapped horse in the field and I think the last run offers plenty of hope, if he wasn't fully wound up and I suspect he wasn't. Plenty of hope he will stay in the form book,staying on at the end in plenty of races. I know he weakened towards end in the Gold Cup but nowhere near as bad as Teaforthree did the other week and he's a proven stayer.

I like Burton Port's chances. However, I do worry that last time out was his only decent run for two years (he missed last season). Looking at his form despite good runs at Cheltenham and Newbury his record looks better at tighter tracks.

The conspiracy theorist in me thinks they recognised he was just below the very top level after the Gold Cup and sent him to the national specialist trainer Jonjo especially for this race and as such the subsequent poor runs and recent re emergence of form has been a ploy all along. The owner does love a National winner.

Of course I may be completely wrong but the odds are far too big for him not to be backed off this mark.

His last run was a real eye opener and he has form in all the right races as well.
I will be having a small win bet and bigger place bet

Will he stay is my worry?

How do you know any horse stays 4m 3.
His RSA Hennessey and Gold Cup runs suggest he will but if he is on the downgrade then he might not be as well handicapped as we think he is,that is my main concern.

He is 4lb higher in the weights at Aintree than he was at Newbury. Although I have backed Burton Port for the National I believe he would be better of going for the Scottish equivalent.

We are guessing at how much ability he retains but his race record does look like he is being primed for this race. We won't know until the day if he is as good as he was and if that information was public he would be vying for favourtism rather than being 33/1. Just looks like a plot to my eye the way he has slowly been recovering some form just before the national.

You serious?

Of course. We all know that this horse was rated far higher but has run atrocious all season and on that form has no chance.And I include its last run in that. The horse that beat it has come out and been beaten 30ls on it's next outing !!!

Same as BP rated far higher

Carrying 2nd top weight isn't it.

Not sure what you mean jasey.

Yeh marks tumbled

Did beat Knockara Beau though as opposed to being tailed off.

Jonjo has had to bring BP back,the GN being the target  so he aint gunna be ripping up trees in december.
Its the first proper season he has had for years

Has had 6 runs and was only off for 18 months.Martin Pipe used to bring horses back from such layoffs and longer and win 1st time back !!

Oh yeh like he did with Comply or Die

Yes he was 1st and 2nd in his 2 runs before he won the National I believe

Yeh won after weights and 2nd after running poor for a few runs and being injured mark had dropped so not really different to Burton

He won in early Dec !!!

Also ran off 139 in National and had never been rated higher than 147 and even then hadn't won off that sort of mark

No he never he won the Eider in Feb 2008 previous win was November 2004

May not have won but was close up second in £16000 race at Haydock in Dec 2007

Bit different to the abysmal efforts of BP

Yeh like Burton a second after years of nothing

Well the 2nd came before the weights came out and it wasn't a poor 2nd in a poor race.

Plus he was off the track almost 2 yrs and the 2nd came in his 3rd race back not 6

Anyway good luck

Anyway good luck

Better rated horses in Burtons last race so don't think it was poor
Mmm quite similar Comply and Burton.

Horses can with the National after not being around a year before running a few times (Miinnehoma, Royal Athlete, Earth Summit, Comply Or Die and Neptune Collonges).

recent form counts for nothing in the National, it's a "target" race.

But if you've got the back form or class, it's the perfect race to get a 10 or 11yo cherry ripe for one last crack of the whip before age catches up with them, whist they also have the benefit of experience in a rough and tumble race over their younger and lesser raced opposition.

Burton Port ticks the above boxes as well as more importantly, been handed a seriously lenient weight for one of his ability.

If his injuries mean he is not the horse he was, almost certainly won't win even with the lower mark.

But I suspect like a few on here - he's still young enough at 10 to retain plenty of ability and Jonjo has performed another party trick on the handicapper. If he takes to the fences, Burton Port is clearly the best handicapped horse in the race - by some way.

Yes it is a target race and it is clear as day that he is being trained to peak at the race (hardly unsurprising) but what counts is he has finally been put into a race and did show some form. Taking strict form is dangerous but on a line through Tullamore dew he outperformed teaforthree in the Ascot race.

I just could not back a genuine high end grade 2/low end grade 1 chaser off 145 at 33/1 for a trainer and owner who love to aim a horse at the race. I am however a little concerned about the sire as having had a look his progeny don't have a great record over marathon trips, although rare bob did finish 5th last year.

Agree with that Pedro.
looking at his last run i think Burton will race prominent in the GN.

Burton Port will do for me. 20/1 still a big price. Wouldn't be surprised to see this s lot shorter on the day. Jonjo has got this horse ready to run a huge race.imo

i hope you got your facts right facts.

Me too !

4th in a gold cup, 2nd in a betfair bowl and once rated 166, now off 141, stays all day and has never fallen, that will do for me.

Me too with Monbeg Dude and e/w on Raz De Maree

im on

excuse my ignorance but any reason why McCoy isn't taking the ride?

Retained by JP McManus

Not owned by McManus

IM ON LADS THIS IS IT!

thanks lads

I'm on 31.5 average and place at 8.5 average