Grand National favourite’s odds drift as bookies name ‘best-backed’ horse punters are ‘certain will go very well’
GRAND NATIONAL favourite Corach Rambler is currently friendless in the markets – with punters deserting him for a horse ‘certain’ to love the mud.
Paddy Power reported they had pushed the defending champion’s odds out to 9-2 from 4-1 over the weekend.
That was in reaction to the grim weather reports coming from Meryseyside, with Aintree taking a battering from the rain last week.
The Grand National course is currently soft, heavy in places, meaning the 4m2f race could turn into a real slog.
As such, punters think Corach Rambler, who still looks well in at the weights on the back of his impressive Gold Cup third, will struggle.
And having been 4-1 market leader for weeks is now as big as 5-1 in places.
Instead Paddy Power said the money had been coming for one horse in particular.
They say punters ‘seem certain’ that Gary Moore’s Welsh Grand National winner Nassalam has all the attributes needed to land the big race.
Having been available at 25-1 just last week, he is now into 16-1 – although his trainer, Sun Racing columnist Moore, is furious with the weight he has been given.
Punters don’t think it will stop him though, as his 34-length Chepstow win came in truly bottomless ground.
And jockey Caoilin Quinn, set to return from a nasty shoulder injury tomorrow, is desperate to get back onboard.
He told Sun Racing: “There’s loads of excitement and buzz about the yard for Nassalam and the rain has come at the perfect time – hopefully it just keeps tipping it down.
“I’m extremely lucky to have got on Nassalam and to now have the chance to ride him the Grand National.
“All you ever dream of as a jockey is winning the Grand National. It’s going to be a huge day for me and hopefully for Nassalam too.
“He should get his ideal ground and we know he jumps the fences well. He’s very uncomplicated and I’m just really looking forward to it.”
Paddy Power’s Paul Binfield said: “We’ve pushed Corach Rambler out to see just how punters react, although I must stress the Gold Cup third is not a horse that we want to be sticking our neck out about too much just yet.
“Nassalam is now our best backed horse since we went non-runner money back.
“As a definite stayer, who will handle testing ground if it turns up that way and heavy rain forecast on Merseyside in the first half of the week, punters seem certain that he’ll go very well indeed if his Cheltenham exertions haven’t taken too much out of him.”
Grand National odds via Paddy Power
9-2 Corach Rambler
7-1 I Am Maximus
8-1 Vanillier
10-1 Meetingofthewaters
12-1 Kitty’s Light, Panda Boy
14-1 Mahler Mission, Mr Incredible
16-1 Limerick Lace, Minella Indo, Nassalam
20-1 Capodanno, Noble Yeats
25-1 Chemical Energy, Delta Work, Galia Des Liteaux, Galvin, Latenightpass
33-1 Bar
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