Backing a Grand National Outsider

For those backing a Grand National outsider for the 2008 Aintree National would do worse to consider Billyvoddan. Brought along in typically steady fashion by trainer Henry Daly, Billyvoddan always looked the type to do better over fences. He started off with two decent efforts in bumpers at the start of the 2003/04 season before going over hurdles. He got off the mark at the fourth attempt in style over an extended two and a half miles at Uttoxeter in May, 2004, beating Red Ruffles by 23 lengths. Reappearing at Cheltenham in November, Billyvoddan suffered an agonising defeat at the hands of Team Tassel, going down by a short-head in the two mile, five furlong contest.

Two more excellent placed efforts followed in handicap and then novice company before he returned to the winner=s enclosure with a gutsy length and a quarter success over King Killone at Doncaster. Billyvoddan again found himself on the wrong end of another close finish when touched off by Julius Caesar in a Grade Three novice handicap hurdle at Sandown, before ending the campaign with a fine fourth to Genghis in the John Smith=s No Nonsense Handicap Hurdle at Aintree in April, 2005. Billyvoddan made the perfect start to his chasing career when scoring over an extended two and a half miles at Huntingdon in November, 2005, coming home three-quarters of a length in front of Kasthari, but then suffered defeats on his next two outings at Cheltenham behind high class sorts Darkness (first run over three miles) and The Listener (Grade Two level, dropped back in trip).

He regained the winning thread at Leicester in January, 2006, out-pointing subsequent dual scorer Reveillez conceding 10lb, although disappointed he on his final two runs last season, finishing ninth to Non So in the Racing Post Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, and then unseating (beaten at the time) behind State Of Play in the betfair.com Handicap Chase at Aintree in April, 2006. Billyvoddan kicked off the current campaign with a never-nearer fifth to Cerium at Ascot over two miles, three furlongs on November 18, but showed the benefit of that run back at the Berkshire venue a month later over three miles when slamming Zabenz by 12 lengths in the valuable BGC Silver Cup, sporting blinkers for the first time. Billyvoddan produced a career best performance on his most recent start in the Grade Two Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on March 15 when a close third to Taranis and Our Vic, staying on in eye-catching fashion up the hill to go down by just three quarters of a length.

Race Record: Starts: 21; Wins: 5; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 6; Win and Place prize money: £117,447

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