 |
|
|
|
| Aintree News 7th - 9th April 2005 |
Alner rules out National for Sir Rembrandt
01/04/05
Trainer
Robert Alner today revealed that Sir Rembrandt, second and third respectively
in the 2004 and 2005 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cups, will miss the John
Smith's Grand National but his participation in the £150,000 Betfair
Bowl, run on Thursday.
 |
The Dorset-based handler said: "The horse is not definitely coming to Aintree at this stage but I would think it's a certainty that we won't be running in the John Smith's Grand National, so I can categorically rule that out. Funnily enough, we dropped 4lb for our Gold Cup run, which seems quite exceptional, and so he's hardly well-in' for the National.
"Regarding the Betfair Bowl, we will be taking a view over the weekend. We like to make plans, but havingsaid that he really would like the ground to be pretty soft. He might well be entered for the Betfair Bowl and we will see whose about, what the likely number of runners is and what the ground is. Everything is open at the moment."
The Grade Two Betfair Bowl, formerly called the Martell Cup, is run over three miles and one furlong of the Mildmay Course and was founded in 1984. The winners include many of the best chasers over the years, such as Wayward Lad, Desert Orchid, Barton Bank, See More Business, Florida Pearl and First Gold. Entries close tomorrow, Saturday, April 2.
Betfair, the world's leading betting exchange, signed a three-year deal in December to become the Official Betting Partner of the John Smith's Grand National meeting, which attracts more than 600 million television viewers worldwide.
The exclusive partnership includes the sponsorship of two races - the Betfair Bowl and the betfair.com Handicap Chase (Friday, April 8) - during the three-day meeting which runs from Thursday to Saturday, April 7-9, 2005.
Betfair will have on-course branding for the meeting, including a live in-running odds board positioned opposite the main grandstands. Betfair will also supply the official betting prices, which means that for the first time in its long history, the official odds for the Grand National will be in decimals rather than fractions.
Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin said: "The Betfair Bowl really is shaping up into a top class race once again this year and should help to get the meeting off to the best possible start."
Latest Betfair odds for the John Smith's Grand National - 11 Hedgehunter, 14 Clan Royal, Amberleigh House, 16 Forest Gunner, 17 Joly Bey, 20 Strong Resolve, Take The Stand, 26 Royal Auclair, 27 Lord Atterbury, Montys Pass, 34 Innox, 36 Just In Debt, Longshanks, 55 Kelami
