Tipping the favourite in the big race is a very obvious thing to do but Grand Crus would appear to be that sometimes dubious thing, 'a handicap good thing'.
There's every chance that the 5/2 currently available in places will prove good value, the most convincing reason for that being the current good form of the stable with Dynaste going in today and The Package winning at Wincanton last Saturday.
Under David Pipe they nowadays pull off their share of big race wins in races they target rather than racking up the four-timers and a regular litany of winners in novice hurdles that Martin used to. Their sole winner at the Cheltenham festival, Salut Flo, had been announced as their best chance and it duly obliged.
The Paddy Power Chase is of course a competitive event with Walkon apparently fancied for the King/Thornton partnership and Nadiya de la Vega at 14/1 a bit eye-catching after wiining very nicely first time out this season. But the selection could prove to have been put well in at these weights and sometimes one has to believe in what appears to be straightforward.
Another old-fashioned point in his favour is the fact that Ladbrokes are shorter than other bookmakers on this. That used to be a broad hint when I studied such things rather more obsessively.
