Aintree Preview with Racetrack Wiseguy

 Protektorat (tomorrow, 2.55) has done nothing wrong so far and so far hasn't been beaten at Aintree. He's very much the flagship horse that the Skeltons need to crash into the big-time with and early indications in the betting suggest that the 7/2 was good value before it started to dry up and so he is a bet with which to gather some ammunition for the races that follow.

On Friday, Jonbon (2.20) had nothing to be ashamed about in finishing second to Constitution Hill at Cheltenham, who is a wonder horse on all known facts and figures and so even money is a very fair offer about him returning to winning. And Paul Nicholls was probably wise to pull Bravemansgame (2.55) out of his Cheltenham engagement in order to come here fresh and ready for a showdown with L'Homme Presse in a small but select field which will indicate if his already mapped-out plan towards next season's King George and maybe Gold Cup is realistic.

But it is the National that will inevitably attract those in search of a more exciting price. The Irish must be odds-on to dominate again with another powerful raiding party coming across the water. Using some statistics, though, it takes some horse (like specialist Tiger Roll) to win with much more than 11 stone. That would take out last year's third, Any Second Now, and Delta Work with his collection of placed runs in top class chases and Cross Country win not giving him any leeway in the weights. Minella Times is now top weight but hasn't completed in two attempts since last year's win so the sensational headline news might be that Rachael Blackmore does not win a big race this time.

Fiddlerontheroof (Sat 5.15) is 2lb well in, which only might make a difference in a close finish but, more than that, he has been consistently impressive for a revived Tizzard stable this year, possibly more so in defeat than when winning, compared to last season when he was underwhelmingly finding one just too good. Only twice in 14 starts has he finished out of the first two, his form figures include no letters and he's been putting in good work at the end of races over 3 miles and more and so 14/1 will do for me.

Two UK runners at big odds are Two for Gold and Deise Aba, the latter a dour stayer who's been unlucky in close finishes over long distances but we can't expect to keep the Irish completely out of the frame and so Delta Work could be in there and I pass on, rather than entirely endorse, good words for Enjoy D'Allen and Longhouse Poet. So, maybe,

1. Fiddlerontheroof

2. Diese Aba

3. Delta Work

4. Longhouse Poet