Money Flies In For Anibale – Grand National News

The latest horse for money ahead of the 2018 Randox Health Grand National is Anibale Fly. His trainer, Tony Martin, reported that his recent Cheltenham Gold Cup third was in tip-top shape ahead of the big race on April 14th.

Owned by JP McManus, who won the National in 2010 with Don’t Push It, this 8 year-old has been the subject of some decent support in recent days and is now around 12/1* in the Grand National betting market – just behind Total Recall (11/1*) and Blaklion (11/1*).

Anibale Fly ran a blinder in the Cheltenham Gold Cup behind Native River and Might Bite. With the Grand National weights having already been published before that race, many punters feel this 8 year-old is well-handicapped off a mark of 159 and with 11-7 to carry.

Can Anibale Fly defy top weight at Fairyhouse? Latest odds –
https://t.co/23TPuXs6br pic.twitter.com/MqNrYIUIQm

— Racing Post (@RacingPost) December 2, 2017

McManus also has Minella Rocco (16/1*), Regal Encore (33/1*), Pendra (66/1*) and Carlingford Lough (66/1*) in the race but Anibale Fly looks sure to go off the shortest odds of his runners.

Barry Geraghty, who is retained to ride JP McManus-owned horses, is yet to decide which one he’ll ride but Anibale Fly looks the favourite, especially after partnering him to his recent Gold Cup third too.

His trainer – Tony Martin – reported: “Anibale Fly has come out of the Gold Cup in good shape. We were very pleased with his run and he finished off the race well. We’ve been freshening him up with Aintree in mind and the plan is to run him in the National. We’re happy with the way things are with him now. I’m not sure yet who’ll be riding him. Geraghty, who rode Anibale Fly at Cheltenham, said: “JP [McManus] has a few others in the National and it will probably be early next week before I know what I’ll ride.”

The 4m 2 1/2f trip will be the furthest Anibale Fly has gone but that will apply to most of the runners in the race. He’s a classy sort though and beat the Gordon Elliott runner – Ucello Conti – at Leopardstown by 7 lengths over Christmas.

At 8 years-old there should be more to come, while he’ll be looking to become the third 8 year-old to win the race in the last four years.

Those against him might cling to the fact he’s still got 11-7 to lump round and since 1978 a massive 120 horses have tried to win with more than 11-5 in weight and only Many Clouds (2015, 11-9) and Neptune Collonges (2012, 11-6) have managed to do it.

*All odds subject to change.
Quotes from Racing Post

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