One of the highlights of the British sporting calendar takes place on Saturday with the 175th running of the Grand National at Aintree.
A maximum field of 40 runners will take on the famous 30 fences over 4 miles 2½ furlongs and the field is as wide open as usual.
Last year’s winner Noble Yeats is at 13.00 with William Hill but will have 15 lb more to carry this year and will be ridden by Sean Bowen after Sam Waley-Cohen’s retirement.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 14th, 3:00 P.M. (BST)
Any Second Now (19.00) has been placed in the last two races but at 11 years old may well have missed his chance as recent renewals have favoured younger horses.
We currently have joint-favourites at 9.00; Ain’t That A Shame has shortened from 15.00 as punters back Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead’s 9-year-old who won a beginner’s chase last time out.
Tied at the top of the market is Delta Work who was third in last year’s race. Keith O’Donoghue has taken the ride from the injured Jack Kennedy but that didn’t stop the 10-year-old taking a second Cheltenham Cross Country triumph ahead of Galvin (19.00).
Lucinda Russell trained and Derek Fox rode the 2017 winner, and the pair could well do the same this time with Corach Rambler who was for a while the favourite but now at 11.00. He took the 3 mile 1 furlong Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham last time, only adding to belief that he was a big contender for Aintree.
Willie Mullins’ pair Gaillard Du Mesnil – who beat Mister Coffey (41.00) in the National Hunt Chase last time – and Mr Incredible – who only has one chase win but was third in the Kim Muir – join Noble Yeats at 13.00.
Le Milos (15.00) triumphed in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury ahead of Corach Rambler for trainer and jockey brothers Dan and Harry Skelton and is one of the leading British chances in the Irish-dominated field.
Capodanno (17.00) was a winner of a Grade 1 novice chase twelve months ago and has only run once since, while Longhouse Poet (17.00) led with two to jump in last year’s race before fading to sixth.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 14th, 3:00 P.M. (BST)
Also at 17.00 are The Big Dog, who is shortening despite a fall last time out, and Vanillier who bounced back from a fall to finish second to Kemboy in the Bobbyjo Chase in February, which saw his odds fall from 101.00.
The race has proven countless times that every horse has a chance. This year Roi Mage (26.00), Back On The Lash (29.00) Lifetime Ambition (34.00) and Minella Trump (51.00) are all fancied by some.
