Scottish Sun columnist and Racing TV analyst Ed Watson is our man on the ground this week at Ayr, where he fancies two Dan Skelton runners to win on the opening day of the Scottish Grand National Festival and take a chunk out of Willie Mullins’ lead at the top of the trainers’ championship.
Catch Him Derry (2.20 Ayr)
Ed Watson, the famous expert, shared his view on the upcoming Grand National.
Jet Plane has the best theoretical chance of all nine of Dan Skelton's runners on the card. However, as per Watson's opinion, “ CATCH HIM DERRY has the best handicap of the group. Although he is below his "correct" score of 107 in this instance—unlike Jet Plane—I have a strong suspicion that this greatly underestimates his potential.”
That's an opinion that isn't grounded in CATCH HIM DERRY`s actions over the last few months, which have essentially been to stand around in his box. More about what stablemate Gwennie May Boy has accomplished since defeating Catch Him Derry by a narrow margin at Bangor in late February (the two finishing 21 lengths ahead of the third).
The following time out, Gwennie May Boy scored a significant handicap at Uttoxeter, and last Saturday, he scored a marginally less significant one at Aintree. He has therefore climbed 24 pounds in the handicap. Watson added: “My optician has fixed me up nicely if that doesn't make Catch Him Derry look chucked here in off by just 5 pounds more than for Bangor.”
Both bookmakers and gamblers have not missed Catch Him Derry. While early odds of about 2/1 for a handicapped field of 17 runners may not appeal to everyone, he appears to be the clear favourite.
Ready winner of a 2m4f novice last month under a penalty here, Whistle Stop Tour is expected to improve once more as she makes her first trip up to this 3m distance. That 15-pound weight loss to Catch Him Derry, though, might be too much for Lucinda Russell to handle at this point.