Sunday tips: "a surprise if he doesn't go very close"

This National looks an obvious target now that he has shown his effectiveness at marathon trips. 

Anglers Crag won at this meeting last season before going on to win Newcastle’s Eider Chase over four miles a couple of weeks later, and it looks very much as though he has been aimed down a similar route this season.

He ran a good race over a mile and a half too short last time, not knocked about at all as he stayed on well at the end at Market Rasen, and that race was obviously to put him spot on for this. The handicapper has chipped in by dropping his mark by 1lb and Anglers Crag is only 5lb higher than for his Eider win. 

Hamsiyann has improved significantly both on the Flat and over jumps since he has been stepped up in trip and I strongly suspect there is further improvement to come under both codes. 

He could well have a busy spring at all the jumps festivals as well as possibly the Chester Cup, but he needs to climb up the handicap to get into some of the races ahead. 

Hamsiyann hasn’t run since he won over 2m5f at Cheltenham in November but that isn’t a concern as that success came six months after his fine effort at Chester’s May meeting. 

Trainer Tony Martin is a dab hand at aiming horses at these big handicaps and it would be a big surprise if Hamsiyann doesn’t go very close here. 

I am hoping that Adrian Keatley and his 10lb-claiming jockey James Robottom have a very good weekend at Musselburgh and win the last race on both days. The trainer obviously rates the young jockey and is putting him up on fancied runners. Belvedere Blast came back to form last time at Market Rasen, a course he goes particularly well at, and the seven-year-old is only 4lb higher in this event. He also won off a mark of 113 in a higher-grade handicap as recently as July, so if he is fully back to form he could be well-in even before accounting for the rider’s claim. This trip is exactly the same as last time and, even though Belvedere Blast has never raced at Musselburgh, the track is flat and right-handed and being sharper than Market Rasen might suit him even better.