Swing Bill fans have most to gain from five Grand National places

Having run six times at the course previously, no horse entered in the Grand National has more experience of the demands of Aintree than Swing Bill.

But the problem for David Pipe is that his horse has never previously managed to finish in the first three in his six Aintree starts.

This has to be regarded as a big negative to his each-way claims in the Grand National at 50/1. However, with Ladbrokes now deciding to pay the top five places each-way*, his appeal has increased significantly.

In his 35 starts since being brought over from France, Swing Bill has never unseated or fallen over and a fall-proof jumper is certainly a big asset to a Grand National bet.

Meanwhile, he has raced in the Grand National twice previously, improving from finishing 10th in 2012 to taking sixth 12 months ago.

However, he gets in here off the lightest of feather weights at 10st 1lb and his mark is unchanged from when finishing in the midfield in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival on his last start.

This result may need to be viewed with a pinch of salt though, as he was arguably not ready out the back when the starting tape went up, which cost him a fair few lengths and a decent racing position.

Furthermore, he has finished in the top five in three of his six Aintree starts, including when running at the course over Christmas in the Becher Chase.

What’s more, it has been an entrant in the darker depths of the Grand National betting that has regularly finished fifth in recent years.

In Compliance was 100/1 in 2012 and Cerium the same price when taking fifth in 2009.

Throw in Liberthine (40/1 in 2007), Risk Accessor (66/1 in 2006) and Spot Thedifference (5/1) in 2004 and paying the top five places each-way could have proved a costly business for bookmakers in the last decade.

Swing Bill could ensure 2014 is no different.

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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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