Donn McClean

GAS Line Boy looks over-priced at 10/1 or 11/1 for the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock this afternoon.

Philip Hobbs’ horse was a decent novice last season, but he looks like a significantly improved performer this term. He battled on well to beat Ballinvarrig and Benbane Head off a mark of 128 on his second run this season at Exeter in early November, and he stepped up on that to win a good handicap chase over today’s course and distance off a 4lb higher mark at the end of November.

That is all solid form. Both Benbane Head and Ballinvarrig have won since and added ballast to the Exeter form. Benbane Head is now rated 9lb higher than he was then, while Ballinvarrig is rated 6lb higher.

Also, the horse who chased Gas Line Boy home at Haydock was Emperor’s Choice, who went and won the Welsh National at the end of December and is now rated 7lb higher than he was then.

Gas Line Boy was pulled up in that Welsh National, but that is forgiveable.

You can always forgive a horse a poor run in the Welsh National. Chepstow is such a course specialist’s track, and the Welsh National is a race that is generally dominated by horses who have won or run well at the Welsh track before. Significantly, Gas Line Boy had been pulled up at Chepstow on his debut this season.

Two good things about that Chepstow run for Gas Line Boy. Firstly, he was pulled up before he was allowed have a hard race, and secondly, the handicapper saw enough in the performance to drop him 5lb.

He had raised him 15lb for his Haydock win, so he is still 10lb higher today than he was for that, but he is not 15lb higher, and that is a big help.

Like Chepstow, Haydock’s chase track is also turning into a bit of a specialist’s track, especially when the ground is soft.

Gas Line Boy has run twice at Haydock when the ground has been soft or heavy.

On the first of them, he finished a close-up third behind the talented pair Sydney Paget and Silver By Nature in a handicap chase last November, and in front of Saint Are and Pigeon Island and The Rainbow Hunter. On the second of them, he won that Betfair handicap chase in November.

If you can ignore his Welsh National run - which you legitimately can - he has a real chance today. He got into a really nice rhythm from early on his last run at the track in November and, if Richard Johnson can get him into a similar rhythm today, he should run a big race.

Benvolio is a player, he was a little unlucky not to win the Welsh National in his first-time blinkers, and he won a graduation chase last January on his only run at Haydock, while A.P. McCoy is a notable booking for Monbeg Dude, who was staying on nicely from the rear in the Welsh National when he made a momentum-halting mistake at the final fence. He was third in this race in 2013. However, at this morning’s prices, Gas Line Boy is the bet.

A half an hour later, Invicta Lake could go well at a decent price in the Pertemps Qualfier. Suzy Smith’s horse battled on well to land the Heroes Handicap over two miles and six furlongs at Sandown two weeks ago.

Although he was allowed go off at 20/1 that day, there was a race like that in him. He had run a cracker to finish a close-up third behind Katkeau and Big Easy at Cheltenham in November, and he wasn’t suited by a slow early pace when he went back there in December.

The step back up to three miles should suit him well, and he handles soft ground well. He is 9lb higher than he was for his Sandown run, but that is solid form, with El Dancer and Hansupfordetroit chasing him home. He probably has to get among the places today if he is to guarantee himself a place in the Pertemps Final, which is apparently his objective.

Aqalim is his most interesting rival. John Ferguson’s horse was weak in the market before he finished second to Fletchers Flyer at Wincanton in early January. He landed the odds at Sedgefield last time and, if he can jump a little better today than he did then, he could get involved.

He is only five, and that is a little bit of a worry in a contest that could turn into a bit of a grueller. Also, they could put him in quite short, a John Ferguson/A.P. McCoy youngster.

RECOMMENDED

GAS LINE BOY, 11/1 (generally) 1 point win

INVICTA LAKE, Best morning odds 1 point each-way