In the odds at Bet365, the Argento Chase favourite is Time For Rupert at 6/4 to win. Coming from a hurdle career that saw him peak early last year with a second place in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Time For Rupert started his chase career in November and has won two starts since then.

This will be Time For Rupert’s first Grade level chase, but he has clearly been aimed at the Argento Chase as evidenced by his last start being the same awkward length of 3 miles, 1 and a half furlongs. We think the faith in him is deserved and he is indeed the best chance to win, so you had better take him now before Time For Rupert’s Argento Chase odds shorten.

Punchestowns follows in the Bet365 Argento Chase odds at 9/4 to win. While he lost his first race this season by a hand, it was still a solid performance that will have gotten him back into the swing of things. Punchestowns is a multiple Grade 1 winner and place getter, though his chase record is decidedly less impressive than his overall jumps record. This race is a bit longer than he is used to and he has traditionally struggled at Cheltenham, so we wouldn’t back him when Punchestown’s Argento Chase odds are so short.

The last major contender in this event is Tidal Bay, in the Argento Chase antepost odds at 11/2 to win. A second place in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase last start and a third place in the Grade 2 John Smith’s Hurdle to start the season probably make Tidal Bay the most recently successful horse in the running. We really like his chances here and the best of our 2011 Argento Chase tips is that you back Tidal Bay in the antepost odds.

The odds widen at this point, with both Neptune Collonges and Taranis at 10/1 to win. Neptune Collonges is a great horse that has gone loopy, with completely out-of-character performances this season that suggest his career is probably at an end. Similarly, Taranis may have won the Argento Chase last year, but his career after that point signals a tremendous drop in form and a horse past his prime.

The other horses in the Bet365 Argento Chase antepost odds are Little Josh at 11/1, The Tother One at 12/1, Madison Du Berlais at 16/1, Mon Mome at 25/1, and The Sawyer at 33/1. Our Argento Chase tips for these horses are that Little Josh and The Tother One could take a place, Madison Du Berlais is unfortunately a spent force, and both Mon Mome and The Sawyer will simply be trying for a share in the prize money.

If you would like to bet on the 2011 Argento Chase, we recommend you sign up for a Bet365 account now! There, you can take full advantage of our Argento Chase tips thanks to the generous antepost odds on offer.

Appearing on this HorseRacing.co.uk Top Ten are (in no particular order – it was hard enough choosing the moments, don’t make us rank them!):

• - Crisp VS Red Rum – The Aintree Grand National, 1973
• - Kauto Star VS Denman – Cheltenham Gold Cup, 2008 & 2009
• - Grundy VS Bustino – King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, 1975
• - Mine That Bird – Kentucky Derby, 2009
• - Mon Mome – The Aintree Grand National, 2009
• - Monksfield VS Sea Pidgeon – Cheltenham Champion Hurdle, 1979
• - Quashed VS Omaha – Ascot Gold Cup, 1936
• - Secretariat – Belmont Stakes, 1973
• - Arkle VS Mill House – Cheltenham Gold Cup, 1964
• - Mandarin – Grand Steeplechase De Paris, 1962

To view the reasons why we think these occasions have made it to the list? Pop over to our Top Ten Horse Racing Moments page.

Liam Treadwell, who last year raced to victory on outsider Mon Mome, has agreed to pilot Paul Nicholls-trained Nozic, who is not quite the underdog as last year’s mount but still far from being a favourite.

Treadwell’s 2009 winner Mon Mome has been paired with Aidan Coleman. Coleman, who is a regular jockey for the Williams Stable, recorded his most recent win at Towcester last Sunday, when he was first to cross the line atop Sawpit Supreme, another Williams-trained prodigy.

Ruby Walsh, recently crowned the winningmost jockey in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, has committed to riding Nicholls’ charge and joint favourite Big Fella Thanks, who took a 1 ½ lengths win at the Raymond Mould Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury on 6th March this year.

Another Nicholls hopeful, Tricky Trickster, will be saddled by Barry Geraghty. Geraghty recorded two wins at this year Cheltenham Festival – leading the field on Big Zeb in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and dominating the turf with Spirit River in the Coral Cup.

Paul Carberry will assume responsibility for King John’s Castle, Paul Townend is due to start on Arbor Supreme and Paul Moloney has agreed to mount State Of Play.
Hot prospectors Vic Venturi and Comply Or Die, trained by Dessie Hughes and David Pipe respectively, are still without jockeys; as is 2007 Grand National winner and Elliott-trained Silver Birch. A second Pipe stable mate, The Package – who slid into the line up when the first contenders withdrew -, is also still without a rider.

Trainer Paul Murphy is still reluctant to announce a jockey for his entry Mr. Pointment, as word has it he is still contemplating to withdraw him from the Grand National and enter his charge Cerium in his stead. However, since the maximum number of runners permitted is 44 horses, Murphy may still be hoping on enough withdrawals and drop-outs to secure his student’s position on the track.

The confirmed jockeys riding in the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National thus far are as follows:

The Grand National has a serious reputation as one of the craziest races of the jumping season, the race in which virtually anything can happen. Last year’s Grand National again cemented the fact that the winner of this race is notoriously difficult to predict, when 100-1 outsider Mon Mome, the first French-trained horse to win the Grand National in a century, raced first across the finish line.

This Saturday, 10th April, Mon Mome returns with significantly better odds and a field of fast and furious contenders to keep him on his toes. After ten horses were withdrawn from the list of prospective starters – including the three Mullins-trained contenders Deutschland, Equus Maximus and Dooney’s Gate; as well as Razor Royale and Notre Pere – the openings have been filled with The Package, Hello Bud and Palypso De Creek amongst others.

While any horse racing at a level allowing them entry into the Grand National at Aintree is to be considered a serious contender, some of them are potentially a little more dangerous than others. Big Fella Thanks, trained by Paul Nicholls, is currently handled as a possible win after taking first place in the Raymond Mould Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury on 6th March. Pipe-trained Comply or Die and Elliott-charge Silver Birch, as well as Mon Mome, have proven themselves champions in the last years, winning the Grand National in 2008, 2007 and 2009 respectively. For each of the three previous winners this year’s Grand National represents the opportunity to get one step closer to the elusive triple win, which has thus far been achieved only by the legendary Red Rum.

Hughes stable mates Vic Venturi and Black Apalachi, who placed first and second respectively in the At The Races Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on 20th February, are also handled as possible front runners.

The current list of starters in the 2010 John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree is as follows:

From Thursday 8th April to Saturday 10th, some of the finest equine contenders and their fantastic jockeys will burn up the track at the historical Aintree Racecourse.

The Festival at Aintree will kick off on the 8th of April with Liverpool day; a race day involving everything needed for a great outing: music, free entertainment and displays of equine excellence. The totesport Bowl, the Foxhunters’ Steeple Chase and the John Smith’s Liverpool Hurdle are the feature races of the first day of first-rate meetings.

All revolves around style and glamour on the second day, the Ladies’ Day, of the Aintree Festival. Not only can you go fishing for complements in your most outrageous gown and hat, there are also some impressive material rewards to be reaped for the best dressed visitors. The main racing events on Ladies’ Day are the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, the John Smith’s Topham Steeple Chase and the John Smith’s Melling Steeple Chase.

John Smith’s Grand National Day, the third and final day of the Festival meeting at Aintree Racecourse, finally delivers the race everyone is waiting for. If the expected crowd of 70,000 spectators is any indication, the wildest Steeple Chase of the year, the John Smith’s Grand National, is gearing up to its biggest contest yet. With three previous Grand National winners in the field, including 2009 champion Mon Mome, it is sure to be one of the most savage and competitive races of the year.

Ever since its inaugural running in the 1830s, the Grand National has held the reputation of being one of the most notorious and extreme steeple chases on the racing calendar. It seems to be the race where extremes meet; the largest field running at the Grand National for example was a startling 66 horses in 1929, the smallest Grand National crowd was a mere ten contenders. Thus far only one horse has managed to race to three Grand National wins, the legendary Red Rum; yet there have been five horses since 1928 to win with odds 100-1. At Aintree, it would appear, anything can happen.

This year, with three previous winners competing, could potentially be the Grand National to set us up for the first triple win attempt since the 1970s. The three to watch are last year’s 100-1 winner Mon Mome, 2008 winner Comply Or Die and 2007 champion Silver Birch; however, as the event has proven over and over again, anything could happen at Aintree.

Firstly, there is the rivalry of Denman and Kauto Star, who both previously won the Cheltenham Gold Cup. While they are still being handled as co-favourites, Denman’s recent debacle at the Newbury Aon Chase has spurred doubts in punters. However, after winning the Gold Cup in 2008 – defeating 2007 winner Kauto Star – and being beaten by Kauto Star in 2009, it would seem like 2010 could be Denman’s year for revenge.

Other favourites, hailed as dark horses for the competition are Imperial Commander and French-trained Mon Mome. Although Imperial Commander has been outrun by rival Kauto Star in the past, the gelding’s potential and fighting spirit keep him in the running as a serious contender. Mon Mome, on the other hand, became an instant sensation on the scene when he took the lead and win at Aintree’s John Smith’s Grand National in 2009, with odds stacked 100/1 against him. However, no matter how much favouritism goes around, it is always wise to expect the unexpected. Especially with an extraordinary line-up like this.