Stumptown for Grand National glory at Aintree

Stumptown enters today's race looking to make it 5 wins in a row, demonstrating how much he has improved this season in bank and cross country races. He has won twice at Punchestown and then twice over 3m5f at Cheltenham, including last time out at the Cheltenham Festival. Stumptown looked beat turning for home that day, but found an extra gear when needed and won going away. Today's extra stamina test will surely play to his strengths and the Grand National fences should also be to his liking. Stumptown can be the next horse since Tiger Roll to do the Cheltenham cross country and Grand National double. Stumptown rates a 4 star each way Pick.

Beauport comes into today's race in the form of his life having won the Midlands Grand National last season, he then failed to fire in the Scottish version at Ayr, but did have legitimate excuses. He then returned to action at Ascot in November last year where he destroyed his field by 31 lengths. It seems like connections then decided that they would plan a path that led to Aintree, giving Beauport two runs in grade 1 and grade 2 staying hurdles, where he finished close up 3rd and 2nd. His bold jumping and front-running style of racing lends itself very well to today's test and its easy to see him getting into a good rhythm early and with assured stamina he could be a hard horse to pass in the closing stages. Beauport rates a 4 star each way Pick.