Banking On Account To Show Long-Term Profit

Approaching the home turn of the Aintree Grand National last April, one horse appeared to be going better than anything else in the field – and I had backed him, writes Elliot Slater.

To say there was a little excitement in the air is a ridiculous understatement. Backed at big ante-post odds, Offshore Account had been running a blinder (admittedly with the choke out for a while) but was still going along nicely as they swung for home.

But as soon as he had taken up the running going to the second last he blundered badly and gradually faded out of contention approaching the final fence. I’m convinced that if ridden with a little more restraint in the 2010 event, Charlie Swan’s gelding might go very close indeed.

In the meantime there are other fish to fry and it will be interesting to see if the nine-year-old is allowed to take his chance on Friday in Cheltenham’s Neptune Investment Management Chase, a Listed contest over 3m 1f 110yds. The softer the ground the better for Offshore Account, and he goes to Cheltenham a relatively fresh horse having got no further than the first fence in the Hennessey Gold Cup at Newbury a couple of weeks ago after unseating rider David Casey. Sometimes out of bad can come good, and Offshore Account is sure to go off at big odds on Friday so he could be worth a small each-way investment.

Should he win (or even finish in the place money,) it is likely that his Grand National betting will be slashed, so I shall be availing myself of a small early interest on the ‘world’s greatest steeplechase’ before the Irish horse’s next outing – whether it be at Cheltenham or not. There’s a great deal of water to flow under the bridge between now and Aintree 2010, but one horse I definitely want on my side looking ahead to the Merseyside marathon is Offshore Account.