Grand National tips: Ben Linfoot Aintree shortlist

Delta Work (Gordon Elliott)

Corach Rambler is seductive from a handicapping perspective and I get why he’s been punted into market leader status, but 6/1 looks very short for a horse who is a hostage to fortune in a conventional handicap, never mind the Grand National.

Of the market leaders the horse that I think is the most likely winner is Gordon Elliott’s DELTA WORK after his second Cheltenham Festival Cross Country win last month.

That was more impressive than his win the previous year and I reckon he’s in better form now than when he was third in last year’s National, a race in which he was left with too much to do at a key point in the contest.

I like how he took to the fences, though, and off a 1lb lower mark than last year I would expect an improved display for a trainer who is a master at sweetening up horses for this race via the Cross Country route.

Capodanno (Willie Mullins)

If there’s one above Delta Work in the weights that appeals from a class perspective it’s Willie Mullins’ CAPODANNO.

The seven-year-old skipped the Cheltenham Gold Cup to come to this race fresh and he usually comes alive in the spring, having won at the last two Punchestown festivals.

Last year he was very good in the Grade 1 novice chase where he beat Lifetime Ambition and Fury Road impressively, form that suggests a mark of 160 won’t be beyond him.

After a satisfactory reappearance over an inadequate 2m4f in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran, he looks in a good place to make a bold bid.

Gabbys Cross (Henry De Bromhead)

My leftfield one is GABBYS CROSS for Minella Times’ trainer Henry De Bromhead and owner Roger Brookhouse.

He’ll be towards the bottom of the weights off 10 stone 2lb and he shapes like a horse that will thrive for stepping up to the National trip after eye-catching staying-on efforts at Leopardstown and Naas in competitive three-mile handicap chases this season.

Weighted to get the better of stablemate Ain’t That A Shame on their Leopardstown form (the race Minella Times was second in before his National win), he’s three times the price of that horse so it looks safe to say Rachael Blackmore won’t be riding him.

She hunted him to victory at Galway last summer where he impressed in a big field and whoever does get the leg up on the eight-year-old could be set for a good spin.

Also in the series...

• My National shortlist - Rory Delargy
• My National shortlist - Simon Holt
• My National shortlist - Oli Bell
• My National shortlist - Fran Berry
• My National shortlist - David Massey

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.