The Grand National is the most famous steeplechase in the world and many sports fans will be looking forward to the latest renewal of the marathon contest at Aintree Racecourse on April 15.
40 runners will line up at the venue in Liverpool looking to add their name to the famous roll of honor. Those horses will be confirmed on April 13 when the final declarations are made.
Corach Rambler Tops Betting
After his impressive performance in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, Corach Rambler is set to be one of the leading Grand National ante-post tips 2023. He is now the +800 favorite in the betting for the Aintree feature.
Corach Rambler's done it again! pic.twitter.com/JZ5quU3iph
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 14, 2023
His trainer Lucinda Russell has managed to get her horse in peak condition for the final couple of months of the season. He showed his stamina as he powered up the hill to win the handicap contest at the Festival for the second consecutive year.
The Scottish-based trainer won the Aintree contest in 2017 with One For Arthur. She is now bidding to become just the female trainer in history to win the race twice.
Noble Yeats Looking to Make History
Last year’s Grand National winner Noble Yeats is set to return to the scene of his triumph in 2022, as he bids to become only the third horse in the last 50 years to win this race twice. If victorious he will follow Red Rum (1973, 1974, 1997) and Tiger Roll (2018, 2019), two horses who have had multiple successes in the 4m2½f contest.
NOBLE YEATS HAS WON THE GRAND NATIONAL FOR SAM WALEY-COHEN!
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) April 9, 2022
On his final ride!
Follow all the action with our #GrandNational Live Blog 👉 https://t.co/3BmGBji299 pic.twitter.com/q38xPnJDLL
Noble Yeats featured in the Blue Riband event of the Cheltenham Festival the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He showcased his stamina in that race, as he came home strongly to finish fourth behind the impressive winner Galopin Des Champs, Bravemansgame, and Conflated, respectively.
The 2022 Grand National winner was ridden to success by amateur rider Sam Whaley-Cohen last April. With Whaley-Cohen now retired from the sport, he will be partnered by Sean Bowen this time around.
Irish Have a Strong Representation
Each of the last four renewals of the Grand National has been won by Irish-trained horses, and the challenge from Ireland is set to be strong again this year. It will include Gaillard Du Mesnil, a seven-year-old chaser that won the National Hunt Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins’ chaser is thought to have a huge future, and after proving his stamina over 3m6f at the Festival, he now looks like a big player in this year’s Grand National for the Irish Champion Trainer.
Any Second now has finished second (2022) and third (2021) in previous runnings of the Aintree race. He warmed up for this year’s contest with a victory in the Grade Two Webster Cup Chase at Navan on his latest appearance. It was his second success in that race, and it showed he is now back to his best following a couple of below-par performances earlier in the season.
This year’s Grand National is part of the three-day Grand National Meeting at Aintree. It is set to include some of the heroes from Cheltenham as they bid to successfully follow up in Liverpool.
