Gold Cup winner Synchronised will top Grand National weights

After his Gold Cup success of last Friday, where he brought punters a return at a starting price of 10/1, Synchronised is the same price as joint-second favourite to land the Grand National on 14 April.

If he was to claim the Grand National, Synchronised would become the first horse to complete a double with the Gold Cup since Golden Miller in 1934, but that will not deter many punters from getting behind the impressive jumper at that 10/1.

To do so, he will have to see off 9/1 favourite Prince de Beauchene and last year’s winner Ballabriggs, who is currently a 14/1 chance to complete consecutive victories at the landmark Aintree occasion.

He will also have to cope with shouldering the biggest of the handicaps in the race, being attributed 11st 10lb in light of his Cheltenham triumph.

Last year’s victor Ballabriggs, who carried 11st en route to a hard-fought win, will get just a pound less than the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Synchronised this year however, and this could pave the way for David Pipe’s stable horses to challenge.

Pipe’s horse Junior, who has won at both Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, is joint-second favourite for the race at 9/1 currently, and with a generous handicap of 11st 2lb, he is certain to make the field after missing the cut last year.

Another noticeably kind handicap comes with West End Rocker, who will saddle 10st 12lb at a big 20/1, and the fences won’t trouble the nine-year-old, making him look a good bet for the race.

An extra week’s gap in between the Aintree showpiece and the Cheltenham Festival should see a healthy field of competitors, and there will likely be few worries in fulfilling a potential 40-horse entry field, with 59 horses currently declared to run.