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/ Adam Brookes / 23 February 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Willie Mullins, trainer of live Grand National contender, The Midnight Club
"The Midnight Club, currently the shortest-priced of the quintet for Grand National success, is a short way behind the two horses already mentioned on form, but it’s quite possible that he’s better than we can currently rate him."
Five Grand National entrants step up their preparation for the main event this afternoon at Fairyhouse, but, which of them does Timeform currently rate for Aintree in April?
As things stand, Oscar Time currently holds the strongest chance on figures, closely followed by the mare Bluesea Cracker, winner of last year's Irish Grand National.
Oscar Time, a strong-traveller, who won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown last year, will find the fences he encounters in today's Bobbyjo Chase much more suitable than the hurdles he has been competing over so far this term, and is likely to go well both here, and at Aintree.
Bluesea Cracker had been off for nearly seven months when reappearing over hurdles at Naas in October, and built on that run to finish fourth of 17 behind the highly-progressive Midnight Chase last time at Cheltenham. She looks fairly weighted for Aintree and has the ability to run a big race if getting in, though most of her best form to date is on testing ground, which is unlikely to materialise at Liverpool.
The Midnight Club, currently the shortest-priced of the quintet for Grand National success, is a short way behind the two horses already mentioned on form, but it's quite possible that he's better than we can currently rate him. Showing his best chase form in his last two starts, he seems to have the right profile for the big race in that he stays well, his jumping looks assured and he's trained by Willie Mullins, who won the race in 2005 with Hedgehunter.
It's easy to see why both he, and Oscar Time, have been well-supported for National success, and they will be very real dangers to all in April.
Of the two remaining horses, Vic Venturi's rating puts him close behind The Midnight Club at Aintree but he is now an exposed veteran and consequently faces a huge task to even be placed, whilst Arbor Supreme, despite running well when unseating his rider last year, has show nothing so far this season and it's impossible to know how much ability he retains.
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