Horse racing: Synchronised still in running for Chasing’s elusive double

GOLD Cup winner Synchronised remains in the John Smith’s Grand National after yesterday’s scratchings stage and is around the 12-1 mark to become the first horse since Golden Miller in 1934 to win chasing’s two biggest prizes in the same season.

Jonjo O’Neill’s charge is one of 59 entries left for the Aintree showpiece, which takes place over four-and-a-half miles on Saturday, 14 April and boasts record prize money of £975,000.

The weights continue to be headed by Synchronised on 11st 10lb, with last year’s John Smith’s Grand National hero, Ballabriggs, 1lb behind on 11st 9lb. Prince De Beauchene is William Hill’s 9-1 favourite and he is one of six remaining entries from Willie Mullins’ stable and one of 23 Irish-trained entries. On His Own, winner of the Thyestes Chase for owners Graham and Andrea Wylie, and The Midnight Club, ninth in the Gold Cup, are among Mullins’ other entries.

Other Irish-trained contenders include the progressive Seabass, trained like the 2000 winner Papillon by Ted Walsh, and the 2011 Irish Grand National hero Organisedconfusion, the likely mount of Nina Carberry.

The Gold Cup form is also represented by fourth-placed Burton Port, Midnight Chase, who was seventh, and Weird Al, who was pulled up on Friday.

Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson has According To Pete still in the field, while other contenders include the David Pipe-trained Junior and Alan King’s West End Rocker, who has not run since winning the Betfred Becher Handicap Chase over the National fences in December and is 16/1 with Betfred. The five-day confirmation stage for the National is on 9 April with the final declaration at 10am on 12 April when there can be a maximum field of 40 runners, with the provision for up to four reserves.