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There remains nothing like it in the world of sport and backing the winner seems to get tougher by the year. But the fundamentals of cracking the John Smith's Grand National remain the same as ever. Only the strongest stayers with a sound jumping technique need apply for the John Smith's Grand National and RUK analyst Graham Cunningham has his eye on a handful of backs and lays in the Aintree showpiece.

Best to get straight to the point for the 2011 renewal of the world's wildest steeplechase.

First, with 40 runners all in the handicap this is a clearly an incredibly difficult puzzle to solve.

And secondly, anyone who tells you the National fences have lost their teeth is definitely barking up the wrong tree.

Recent stats strongly suggest that more than half the field will be out of the race by the time the winner hits the line at around 16:25 on Saturday, but that won't stop around half of the adults in Britain having a dabble and my plan will sink or swim with the following plays.

The dream result would be a win for Irish raider Oscar Time, who has topped my short list for several weeks based on some excellent form in top handicaps and a running style based on an eye-catchingly high cruising speed and a very dependable jumping technique.

I've backed him ante-post and will be looking to lay off in running at around 4.0 in the hope that Sam Waley-Cohen can get him into the sort of rhythm he found aboard Long Run in the Gold Cup.

Becauseicouldntsee doesn't have quite so convincing a profile as Oscar Time, but he earns a place as backup for the simple reason that he struck me as an ideal Aintree candidate with a big run at last year's Cheltenham Festival. And, happily, he looked better than ever when second in a big handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas.

He's had a setback since, which isn't ideal, but trainer Noel Glynn is confident that he's back on song and if that's the case then he is a very sporting longshot.

Slight concerns about stamina shouldn't stop Ballabriggs running a very bold race for a long way, while Sir Alex Ferguson's What A Friend is mercurial but simply too well handicapped to leave out of the equation based on his improved effort in the Gold Cup.

Now to the ones you lay for a place and close your eyes.

And first up is last year's winner Don't Push It.

Granted, Jonjo O'Neill's gelding landed a massive public gamble to give AP McCoy his first National success last year and his whole campaign this time around has been centred around one day and one day only.

However, the bottom line is that Don't Push It is a mercurial gelding who will be humping top weight over 30 fearsome fences from a daunting official handicap mark of 160.

I'll be a poorer man if he rises to the occasion again. But all the same the temptation to lay him for a place at 4.1 or thereabouts is very hard to resist.

Place laying big priced horses isn't for most people - and I wouldn't recommend that people follow in hard by opposing Tidal Bay and Big Fella Thanks - but all the same I'm content to try and nick a few quid by getting against this pair in the place market.

Tidal Bay has quirky with a capital Q nowadays and I have serious reservations as to whether he he take to a daunting challenge like this.

He'll probably sulk in the rear if he does his usual trick of jumping awkwardly in the early stages, while Big Fella Thanks has run well for a long way in the last two Nationals but continues to give the impression that this marathon trip stretches his stamina right to its limit.

Cunningham's National Plan
Back Oscar Time at 15.0 or bigger
Back Becauseicouldntsee at 34.0 or bigger
Lay Don't Push It for a place at 4.1
Lay Tidal Bay for a place at 9.8
Lay Big Fella Thanks for a place at 5.2

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