Seeyouatmidnight Looks Overpriced For Grand National

Last year I managed to find One For Arthur ante-post for the Grand National, and if he was running again this season it would be hard not to fancy him. Lucinda Russell’s charge was ruled out of the race a few months ago but Scotland still has a fighting chance of landing the race for the second year in a row. Seeyouatmidnight is a horse I have long held in high regard and off a mark of 149 Sandy Thomson’s 10yo son of Midnight Legend could be thrown in.

On the right ground Seeyouatmidnight is a serious horse.

He has some serious graded form in the book over timber and over hurdles, including Grade 2 wins in both codes and a 3rd in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at the Grand National meeting on ground quicker than ideal back in 2014. He has proved to be a better chaser though, and arguably his best effort yet came in the Scottish National when a fine 3rd to Vicente off the same mark off which he will race at Aintree,149.

Again, good to soft ground was not ideal that day as Seeyouatmidnight is far more effective on soft or heavy. Ground like that has been a rare occurrence at Aintree in recent years, but the weather has been all over the place in 2018 and with another ‘Beast From The East’ rumoured to be on the way at Easter, soft or heavy ground at Aintree is a very real possibility.

Blaklion is the current market leader for the Grand National at a best price of 12/1, but he is the 2nd highest rated horse in the race off 161 and it is never easy in this stamina sapping contest carrying so much weight. He will have to concede 12lbs to Sandy Thomson’s charge, and if it comes up soft I know who I would rather be on.

Blaklion was far too good for Seeyouatmidnight when they met in the RSA Chase in 2016. Nigel Twiston Davies’ horse won the race with Seeyouatmidnight 32L back in 7th, but the ground was good that day and that suited Blaklion. They had previously met at Cheltenham in a Grade 2 in January 2016 (21f hvy) and in receipt of 4lb Seeyouatmidnight comfortably had Blaklion’s measure by over 3L.

Seeyouatmidnight will be 8lb better off at Aintree and if it comes up soft I think he can confirm the form. He proved his stamina when 3rd over 4 miles at Ayr in the Scottish National and the sole worry is his lack of a recent outing. He is due to have a spin over 20f at Newbury on Saturday and if he runs well there I can see him shortening in the market. He has had a wind op too and his trainer has reported that the son of Midnight Legend has been working very well.

Plans for a prep run at Kelso were twice scuppered by the weather, so with just a three week break between Saturday and the big one I can’t see him being given too hard a race at the weekend. Once he runs respectably and comes homes safe I will be happy, and it should be all systems go for Aintree. I have long thought this horse capable of winning a big one, and with a bit of luck he will get his ground and go close in the biggest one of all.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: GRAND NATIONAL: SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT E/W 33/1