McCoy in two minds on who to ride in Grand National
Published:Tony McCoy has hinted that he may abandon last year’s Grand National winner Don’t Push It in the Aintree showpiece this year and instead opt to partner Synchronised.
Don’t Push It is the 14/1 favourite in the ante-post Grand National betting and aided McCoy in securing a first victory in the great race in April.
However, with the horse liable to be punished heavily by the handicapper for his prior success last year, McCoy has revealed that he is considering switching allegiances.
No horse since Red Rum in 1974 has won the Grand National in two successive years, with the extra weight burden already ensuring that talented horses including Hedgehunter and Comply Or Die have failed to emulate him since.
McCoy is concerned that Don’t Push It will also struggle to defy the weight increase to win around Aintree again and is therefore mulling over riding Synchronised instead, who he partnered to victory in the Welsh National at Chepstow earlier this month.
But there are question marks about how well Synchronised will take to the big fences at Aintree and the handicapper is also sure to take his Chepstow victory into consideration when publishing the weights on February 15th.
McCoy said: “It is getting hard for horses to win back-to-back Grand Nationals.
“At the same time it would be hard not to ride Don’t Push It as he gave me the best day of my racing life.”
Synchronised is 20/1 in the Grand National odds and this price will certainly shorten should McCoy choose to take the ride.
McCoy has ridden Synchronised on four of his last six runs, which has included three victories.
A £25 stake on Don’t Push It winning the Grand National would return £350. New customers can sign up here for a free £25 bet.
