UK Horse Racing Tips

When Mon Parrain made his British debut a couple of years ago, scoring by 22 lengths in a Sandown handicap chase, the sky seemed the limit for the ex-French chaser. He’s had his ups and down since then but could be a horse to keep on the right side this season despite pulling up on his first start of the campaign.

The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old followed his stunning entry onto the British stage by running a tremendous second of the 30-runner field behind race specialist Always Waining in the listed John Smith’s Topham Chase over the awesome Grand national fences, jumping like an old hand and clearly signalling that he could well be a future winner of the Grand National.

As is so often the case in the racing game though, things haven’t gone quite to plan. The gelded son of Arc hero Trempolino was restricted to just three starts last term due to niggling injuries. On each occasion he showed that he remains a horse of serious potential, finishing a creditable seventh to Great Endeavour on his seasonal bow in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham, then third to Shakalakaboomboom at the same course a month later. A beaten favourite at Newbury in March when fourth to the decent Ikorodu Road, Mon Parrain wasn’t seen again after that.

Returning to the fray at Wetherby recently in a listed handicap chase, Nicholls’ charge was easy to back and duly ran a lifeless race being well behind when pulled up four from home. Mon Parrain is certainly better than he showed at the West Yorkshire track and may well have been in need of the outing. If he returns to form he could well be the sort to have on your side in the ante-post book for the Crabbies Grand National at Aintree in April, a race for which the still exciting prospect is currently quoted at odds of up to 50/1.

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