Posted on Monday, 28th March 2011 by Kiara Weber

With the Grand National at Aintree on April 9th fast approaching there will be plenty of interest in the leading contenders for the prestigious race and Donald McCain’sBallabriggs looks to fitthe bill as a real challenger for the title this year. The 10-year-old is priced 14/1 in the betting with Paddy Power bookmakers as the McCain family look to continue their fine record in the race.

Donald McCain’s father ‘Ginger’ was of course a legendary four time winner of the Grand National as he trained three time champion Red Rum and 2004 winner Amberleigh House. Donald will no doubt be keen to emulate his father’s feats and he guided Cloudy Lane to a respectable sixth place finish in 2009, and hasprepared Ballabriggs’ season with the sole aim of a crack at the National.

Ballabriggs has plenty of National pedigree in his camp as he will race under the colours of Trevor Hemmings, who owns 2005 National winner Hedgehunter, and looks well set for a tilt at Aintree this year. The 10-year-old is officially rated 152 and is set to carry 11st which looks very useful for a horse that was unbeaten over fences last year.

McCain has declared himself happy with the handicap after looking to protect Ballabriggs’ handicap for much of this season after he won the Kim Muir at Cheltenham Festival last year. That win in the Kim Muir came by half a length from Faasel off a handicap of 11st 12lbs and laid further evidence to his national claims as it came over a distance of 3 miles and1 and a half furlongs – Every winner of the Grand National since 1970 has had a win over 3 miles to their name.

In protecting Ballabriggs’ handicap this year, McCain started his season with two appearances over hurdles. The 10-year-old’s seasonal reappearance saw him ease to a two and three quarter length victory over Ohio Gold in a Wincanton novice hurdle in January, and a stylish 5 length win over Yes Tom at Ayr in January saw his odds of winning the Grand National clipped in to 16/1 by PaddyPower, after he had been as long as 25/1 when the betting for Aintree opened.

That win at Ayr was a fifth consecutive victory in all races butthat run wasbrought to a halt in his first appearance over fences since the Kim Muir as he was a beaten 8/13 favourite at Kelso in March. Despite losing to Skippers Brig by one and three quarter lengths, McCain declared himself happy with the run and with only one career fall to his name, back in 2008,and experience of running against big fields he looks to be a real threat at this year’s renewal.

The Kim Muir winner has fallen under the radar of many bookmakers of late but the 10-year-old certainly looks well placed in the betting this year,particularlyas a recent National trend shows that fourteen of the last nineteen winners have been in the top eight of the ante-post betting.

Latest Grand National 2011Betting

8/1 The Midnight Club
11/1 What A Friend
12/1 Oscar Time
12/1 Big Fella Thanks
14/1 Niche Market
14/1 Backstage
14/1 Ballabriggs
14/1 Don’t Push It
16/1 Silver By Nature
16/1 Junior
16/1 Quinz
20/1 BAR

Odds supplied by PaddyPower, who provide oddsfor all of the contenders for the 2011 Grand National at Aintree on April 9th.

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