It perhaps isn’t quite the message that government officials are trying to get across but now that a degree of normality is starting to return, maybe we should think about Takingrisks. Following a year during which the racing calendar was decimated by Covid19 – including the cancellation of most racing fixtures such as the Grand National meeting – the 173rd running of the Grand National will get underway in front of what will certainly be by far its smallest ever crowd this afternoon, a mere 1,000 people in attendance consisting purely of racecourse staff, officials, trainers, jockeys and police.
Gordon W Richards was dominant in this race in the immediate post Red Rum years having won in 1978 with Lucius and in 1984 with Hallo Dandy. Son Nicky will get his chance this afternoon with Takingrisks and all eyes in the cumbrian village of Greystoke will be on the 12-year-old.
The Scottish National winner of 2019 will be ridden by Sean Quinlan, a rider who certainly hasn’t looked back since moving north. Takingrisks heads into this outing on the back of victory in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster and it is certain that he will relish the ground as well as the distance this afternoon. Indeed if he is still contending after crossing Melling Road for the final time then he won’t be outstayed by much.
The only thing perhaps going against him – statistically speaking – is his age. Nevertheless until he won at Doncaster in his last outing, no other twelve-year-old had triumphed in that contest and on this basis, we recommend having him on an each-way in the 2021 Randox Grand National.
Our Tip: Back Takingrisks EW at 14/1