No race seems to provide stories like the Grand National and this year’s story provider could be Big Fella Thanks.
The 9 year old owned by the professional gambler Harry Findlay is one of a number of horses to have left the care of champion trainer Paul Nicholls as a result of his high profile split with the owner.
Big Fella Thanks has already had two cracks at the great race, while under the care of his previous trainer, and he has run with great credit on both occasions completing the course both times to finish sixth in 2009 and fourth behind Don’t Push It last year, when he started as a 10/1 joint favourite in the Aintree Grand National betting.
In honesty there are not many horses who improve from a switch away from the Nicholls stables, however it should be remembered that this horse has not been switched to freshen him up or because his candle was no longer burning bright, but as a result of circumstance and as a 9 year old he could still have some natural improvement in him and anyone looking to place a Grand National free bet should remember this.
Since switching to new trainer Ferdy Murphy, the 9 year old started the season with a really promising run behind Hey Big Spender at Carlisle in early November. The form of that race has been franked by the subsequent efforts of that runner this season.
Things did not go so well on his second run, when he ended up on the floor in the Hennessey at Newbury. It should be remembered though that many horses tend to come back to Aintree and run well year after year in the Grand National.
The race’s unique demands tend to bring some horses to life and it would seem that Big Fella Thanks is another from that mould.
