It’s all change on the approach to the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday 14th April as another contender has dropped out of the running – Go Conquer. The nine-year-old gelding will now be targeting the Topham Handicap Chase contested 24 hours earlier.
Taking his place in a wide-open betting market headed by O O Seven and Theatre Territory – both priced 12/1 joint-favourites going into race month – Go Conquer is a lively outsider with Betfair offering a market best price 25/1.
That late alteration means Irish trainer Johjo O’Neill is left with just one runner in the Aintree headliner with Minella Rocco the Cork man’s best and only hope of landing the Grand National prize. He has tasted success in the world’s favourite handicap steeplechase in the past with Don’t Push It doing the business back in 2010 under the ride of Tony McCoy.
Followers of the ante-post market will find Total Recall as the most likely ruler and Willie Mullins’ nine-year-old is quoted in a fair share of Grand National 2018 tips but favourites have a poor recent record at this level. Is Minella Rocco the rival to ruin the party?
Owned by JP McManus and sharpened by Jonjo O’Neill, the fact Minella Rocco is the Irishman’s only runner will hold weight with casual backers looking to pick out a big price upset. The bay arrives in Liverpool on the back of a disappointing effort at Leopardstown when falling in the Irish Gold Cup earlier this year under the ride of Mark Walsh.
One of four non-finishers in a race won by Edwulf at 33/1, fans may be willing to forgive and forget that slip as he was seen holding his own in the early part of the contest before dropping out of contention and crashing down at the last. Better is expected but there’s reason to believe better is in the tank.
Minella Rocco’s stats don’t do a lot to inspire confidence amongst punters with his five most recent runs reading 2nd, 4th, pulled-up-4th, fell. That runner-up spot did come on the big stage and followers who saw him end second in the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup behind Sizing John will know just what he brings to the table.
Without getting near Jessica Harrington’s champion that day, Rocco did put in a sound round of jumping and proved his fitness on the run-in when keeping on to land silver in the closing stages ahead of Native River. Over the extended trip of the Grand National, we will have to see more of that stamina but, at 14/1, there’s enough of a price to merit an interest.
As an eight-year-old, Rocco shares an age with two of the last three National winners, One For Arthur 2017 and Many Clouds 2015, and, at 14/1, he has a price in common with last year’s champion, who misses out on a chance at two-in-a-row through injury.
