The Grand National is the next highlight of the jumps season, but we will also be covering the bet365 Gold Cup meeting and Punchestown.

With only 15 days to go to the big race (April 4), the bookmakers have already priced up a few specials. Whether they all clear the first fence is a lottery (11/4), but there is still some value to be found elsewhere.

I’m not talking about Ladbrokes’ ‘Tony McCoy to win the National‘ at 10/1. That will be popular with many, and could be a good back to lay option. Skybet go 2/7 that he rides favourite Butlers’ Cabin, who fell at Becher’s Brook last year.

Butler’s Cabin put in an eye-cattching performance at the Festival, so punters may prefer just to stick their cash on the horse, who is 12/1 favourite with Ladbrokes. That said, there is always a chance that McCoy chooses King Johns Castle (7/2), although he was unplaced on his seasonal debut. In which case the 25/1 odds will disappear.

I think that several punters will get stuck into the favourite, after the 7/1 jolly Comply Or Die obliged last year. It would come as no shock to see the favourite get sent off at 6/1 or shorter, which is a 15/2 chance with Skybet.

Festival hero Ruby Walsh is 10/11 to ride My Will for Paul Nicholls, who ran a blinder in the Gold Cup. My Will is currently a 12/1 chance, having been 25/1 before the Gold Cup. If Ruby chooses My Will, he should be sent off favourite, currently a 10/3 chance.

Personally I think he could choose Southern Vic, for his father Ted. That outcome has already been gambled from 7/1 into 7/2. Paul Nicholls has never won the national (My Will, Big Fella Thanks) and Ruby got his first National win on board Papillon (10/1) for his father.

An Irish trained winner is a 7/4 chance, but I like the 4/1 on offer for a winner priced over 20/1. That has happened 3 times in the last 8 years, so statistically you are getting good value.

The other bet that I like is for a winner with 3 words in its name at 7/4. Alternatively I could just back War Of Attrition at 33/1 who applies to those 3 markets!

bookies.com is the best place to compare the antepost markets:

Grand National Betting

Odds of 14/1 on the Queen to abdicate are shocking, it should be greater than 100/1! That said, Paddy Power are also running several specials, and have reminded us of what you could’ve got last year if you had lumped on:

8/11      Spice Girls were the first band to split

8/11      Mucca walked away with less than £50million of Paul McCartney’s fortune

15/8      Lewis Hamilton was crowned 2008 F1 champion

5/1        Team GB won more than 12 gold medals at the Olympics

11/2      Barack Obama was elected the 44^th US President

6/1        Madonna and Guy Ritchie were the first celebrity couple to file for divorce

12/1      Peaches Geldof was the first singleton to get married

18/1      Ibiza was Wayne Rooney’s chosen stag weekend destination

If you were pressing me to take one of Skybet’s specials, I’d probably take 10/1 about Chris Moyles being sacked from Radio 1. He has been on thin ice for a while now, and who knows what 2009 holds? Will we finally capture Osama bin Laden at 5/1?!

Perhaps one of the bets of 2009 is a General Election to be held in June 2009 at 4/1 with Ladbrokes. Gordon Brown may want to capitalise on the Obama visit or simply cash in before we find out how bad the economy really is.

I am looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival next year, as well as the Six Nations. Also of interest are The Tour de France, The Ashes, Wimbledon and the Champions League.

2009 SPECIALS:

X Factor Final 3 all have UK no. 1 singles 20/1

Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson marry in civil ceremony 6/4

UK win Eurovision 16/1

X Factor Winner sing on American Idol as guest 3/1

Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Sherzinger marry 10/1

UK come last in Eurovision 3/1

Louis Walsh not to be X Factor judge for 2009 series 3/1

Kate Moss marry Jamie Hince 3/1

UK get ‘nul point’ in Eurovision   10/1

Robbie Williams replace Dannii Minogue as judge on X Factor 2009 5/1

Pete Doherty and Kate Moss get back together officially   4/1

Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder Civil to divorce 1/3

Simon Cowell not be X Factor panellist in 2009 3/1

Paul McCartney remarry 4/1

Kerry Katona and Mark Croft divorce 2/1

S Cowell announce he’ll stand as candidate in next election 20/1

Britney Spears marries again    4/1

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split    5/1

Simon Cowell come out as gay 50/1

Queen not record Xmas message 5/1

David Cameron have his bike stolen 6/1

X Factor Winner have 3 consecutive no. 1 singles by end 08    7/1

Chelsey and Harry get engaged 4/1

David Cameron grow a moustache   33/1

X Factor Winner not go straight to no. 1 official UK album chart with debut by end 08  5/6

Prince William or Prince Harry to marry 6/1

Madonna & G Ritchie get back together 50/1

X Factor 09 winner get Xmas no. 1 2009 1/4

Prince William and Kate Middleton get engaged 2/1

Osama Bin Laden be captured   5/1

X Factor winner 09 NOT get Xmas no. 1 2009 11/4

Queen to abdicate 14/1

Ant and Dec their get own individual TV shows 33/1

X Factor Final 3 all have UK no. 1 albums in 2008 8/1

Prince William and Kate Middleton split 5/2

Chris Moyles sacked from Radio 1 breakfast show 10/1

Diana Vickers and Eoghann Quigg release duet 3/1

Prince William become King 50/1

Russell Brand reinstated as Radio Two DJ 50/1

Cheryl Cole win FHM Sexiest Woman in the World 5/1

Terry Wogan Retire from his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show 6/4

Great white shark be caught off British shores 20/1

Girls Aloud split 5/6

Sports personality win Strictly Come Dancing 09 6/4

Gordon Brown be PM on 31/12/09 2/7

Leona’s fastest selling debut album record broken (375,872 in first week) 5/1

John Sergeant replace Bruce Forsyth as SCD host 10/1

David Cameron be PM on 31/12/09 11/4

Leona Lewis win best UK female at Brits 2/1

Anton Du Beke replace Bruce Forsyth as SCD host 6/1

Nick Clegg be PM on 31/12/09 100/1

Victoria Beckham have baby girl 6/1

Geri Halliwell do Strictly Come Dancing 09 8/1

Will Young announce his intention to stand as candidate in next GE 20/1

Cheryl and Ashley Cole have a baby 3/1

Bruce Forsyth NOT host Strictly Come Dancing 2009 5/4

PM to announce referendum on joining Euro 8/1

Charlotte Church has another baby 4/1

Jonny Vegas win SCD 09 16/1

UK adopt Euro as official currency 16/1

Posh & Becks adopt a child 10/1

Peter Mandelson win SCD 09 33/1

David Cameron arrested under anti-terrorism legislation 33/1

Angelina Jolie adopt again 2/1

Robbie Williams sing on a new Take That release (not old song)   3/1

The FTSE to be above 6000 on 31/12/09 6/1

Celeb Big Brother taken off air permanently mid series 10/1

Totally dry Wimbledon fortnight 10/1

The FTSE to be above 5000 on 31/12/09 5/4

Kate Winslet win Best Lead Actress Oscar 2/1

Rain every day Wimbledon 33/1

Congestion charge be introduced in a UK city by public vote 4/1

Heath Ledger win Best Supporting Actor at Oscars 1/4

David Beckham play in Premier League 3/1