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Grand National Runners and Riders

17:15 Randox Grand National Handicap Chase

15 Apr 2023

Winner: £500000

Runners: 39

Going: Good To Soft

No. of hurdles: 30

Distance: 4m2f74y

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NO. DRAW
FORM
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HORSE
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ODDS
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JOCKEY& TRAINER
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AGE
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WGT
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RATING
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24311P-
silk
Noble Yeats

-

J: Sean Bowen
T: Emmet Mullins
8
11-11
To win this race last term as just a 7yo and a novice was seriously out of the ordinary and he's built on that with his form this season (now has 19lb higher mark); won over the conventional fences here in December and reverted to looking much more the out-and-out stayer in two runs at Cheltenham since, which meant he never got competitive when 15l fourth in the Gold Cup but keeps him as major contender for the National.
192F33-7
silk
Roi Mage

-

J: Felix De Giles
T: Patrick Griffin
11
10-8
Fell at a Cheltenham cross-country fence in January but some of his runs in France make very interesting viewing, including when staying on well over 3m3f and 3m6f, and so do his performances in the same 3m2f Down Royal race in March 2022 and 2023; big odds but a lurking strength in stamina can bring him to the fore.
40050353
silk
Born By The Sea

-

J: Phillip Enright
T: Paul John Gilligan
9
10-2
6lb out of the handicap; won at Galway (2m6f) in July 2021 and good fifth in the same race last summer; no striking claims even on that form, though, and he does not have any form beyond 3m1f (had one attempt at 3m4f); 150-1 when beaten 22l at Cheltenham (2m4f) last month.
1142-21
silk
Any Second Now

-

J: Mark Walsh
T: T M Walsh
11
11-12
Came to this race in 2021 and 2022 on the back of a Graded win and does so again today at the age of 11; did sterling work from off the pace to be third and second in those last two Grand Nationals; 20l clear of the third when he chased home Noble Yeats last year and, despite today's 8lb higher mark, he has to be in each-way calculations.
10410/U1
silk
Carefully Selected

-

J: Michael O'Sullivan
T: W P Mullins
11
11-1
Produced a tired unseat at the final fence when 10-11 over 3m6f at Cheltenham in March 2020 on his only attempt at a long-distance chase; absent 1022 days before this season but short-head win from Dunboyne in the Thyestes at Gowran (3m1f, soft to heavy) showed he's as good as ever, a game effort too but he needs to bounce back from a lesser show one month later.
85P53-1
silk
Sam Brown

-

J: Jonathan Burke
T: Anthony Honeyball
11
11-4
Showed he stays 3m2f on soft at Haydock last term but pulled up over 3m4f on heavy there next time; runaway winner at this meeting (3m1f, good to soft) last April but it wasn't over the National fences and he still has his career-high mark today, despite far more muted performances recently; has now had wind surgery.
71631-3
silk
Delta Work

-

J: Keith Donoghue
T: Gordon Elliott
10
11-4
Won last two editions of the 3m6f Cheltenham cross-country in March, latest from Galvin at level weights (on soft; 2022 on heavy); last year's National (good to soft) did not pan out so smoothly for him from off the pace and it was not his best round of jumping, but he still challenged for the lead two out before finishing a tired, 22l third; 1lb lower today and cheekpieces (tried once last term, below form) are added; can't be ruled out.
14451332
silk
Darasso

-

J: L P Dempsey
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
10
10-13
Unraced beyond 3m, seen most often at about 2m; the three runs over 2m6f/3m among his last six starts have all been good, including second in the Galway Plate and third in the Kerry National, but this reliable 10yo would still have to show himself in a very new light for a prominent finish today.
5F311-6
silk
The Big Dog

-

J: Aidan Coleman
T: Peter Fahey
10
11-5
Opened this season with wins in two major 3m handicaps; sometimes jumps rather ponderously, including on the first circuit when good third in the Welsh National (soft) in which a blunder two out handed the upper hand to two rivals; fell two out at 33-1 in Irish Gold Cup latest, when disputing the lead so running a big race, but moving up the weights since is a negative to add to his fall.
3511-531
silk
Our Power

-

J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: Sam Thomas
8
10-2
Started on the Flat but has been a rising force through his five campaigns over jumps; this term he's knuckled down admirably to prevail on the run-in in valuable 3m handicaps at Ascot and Kempton, both on good ground but he scored last season on soft; 4lb well-in compared to his recently revised mark; unraced beyond 3m1f but trainer says "this lad stays forever".
37R50002
silk
Francky Du Berlais

-

J: Ben Jones
T: Peter Bowen
10
10-2
2lb out of the handicap; negotiated these fences in three other races, twice soundly beaten but also 14l fourth in last year's Topham; showed plenty over the 3m6f Cheltenham cross-country last two starts and still led Delta Work and Galvin approaching two out last time but he had tired into a remote third when refusing at the last; soft ground was against him that day but both those runs cast doubt on his stamina.
30P3-9P1
silk
Cloudy Glen

-

J: Charlie Deutsch
T: Venetia Williams
10
10-4
33-1 over 3m2f on good to soft when he took second at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival and won the big Newbury handicap that November; plenty of modest shows too; respectable third over 3m4f at Haydock on penultimate start but it looks as if others will finish much more strongly even if this is one of his good days.
200229-0
silk
Diol Ker

-

J: Kieren Buckley
T: Noel Meade
9
10-8
Acts on heavy; went mighty close to grabbing a top 3m handicap at Leopardstown (yielding) at Christmas in first-time blinkers (kept since); that and other notable performances appeared to shout stamina, so much so that despite having failed comprehensively to back up that impression in three handicaps over 3m4f/3m5f in the last year, he's not dismissed.
3446126-
silk
Eva's Oskar

-

J: Alan Johns
T: Tim Vaughan
9
10-2
Won on heavy last term and career-best form over 3m3f/3m2f on good ground at Cheltenham this season; front rank until the second last in the 4m Eider at Newcastle on latest start but fading thereafter points to a stamina weakness; tongue tied first time.
31073-U2
silk
Hill Sixteen

-

J: Ryan Mania
T: Sandy Thomson
10
10-2
Beaten a nose in 3m2f race (soft) over these fences in December 2021; yet to prove himself beyond that but he was in sixth when badly hampered four out in last year's 4m Scottish National; started this season okay, then had wind surgery before tailed off three weeks ago; cheekpieces first time.
2271-121
silk
Minella Trump

-

J: Theo Gillard
T: Donald McCain
9
10-6
Unraced on soft for nearly two years (has won on it); won eight of his last nine races over fences, all in small fields and latterly when upped to 3m for two handicaps at Perth last April/June; warmed up with a run over hurdles last month; should stay beyond 3m and still be capable of better but taking on this many rivals will be a very new experience.
463313-
silk
Fury Road

-

J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr
T: Gordon Elliott
9
11-6
Career-best form when third in two Leopardstown Grade 1s (one on soft) over 3m this winter and it was 2m4f when his form dipped at Cheltenham last month; jumps well; while he's worth this first go beyond 3m1f, stamina for this extreme trip is something of a guess and he needs to improve for it.
39P1329-
silk
Back On The Lash

-

J: Adam Wedge
T: Martin Keighley
9
10-2
3lb out of the handicap; a battler whose proficiency over the 3m6f Cheltenham cross-country course is a notable plus, but he failed to show it there when encountering soft (latest start) or heavy ground, so his chance could be scuppered if the rain has arrived in large quantities; place chance if it hasn't.
326416-
silk
Galvin

-

J: Davy Russell
T: Gordon Elliott
9
11-11
Won the 3m6f NH Chase at Cheltenham in 2021 and fourth there in the 2022 Gold Cup; diverted to the cross-country for this season's Festival (soft) and he was back near his best in second to Delta Work; while losing at level weights in that race is a stumbling block on form - he gives Delta Work 7lb today - the jumping and stamina suggest he could take well to this test.
15211-41
silk
Le Milos

-

J: Harry Skelton
T: Dan Skelton
8
10-11
Improved to win at Bangor (3m, heavy) and Newbury (3m2f, good) on first two starts for new yard, the latter a top handicap in which he jumped soundly, led three out and kept finding more; 6lb higher today but ran encouragingly last month after his winter break and, while stamina cannot be absolutely guaranteed, he could be about to taste even greater success today.
385P44-U
silk
Fortescue

-

J: Hugh Nugent
T: Henry Daly
9
10-2
3lb out of the handicap; has shaped at 3m-3m2f, including on soft and over these fences, as if serious stamina tests could suit him but he had a lot to do when producing what looked a tired unseat four out in this race last year; Welsh National and Haydock trial on last two starts (in cheekpieces) also failed to enhance his claims; blinkered first time.
29322-02
silk
Mister Coffey

-

J: Nico de Boinville
T: Nicky Henderson
8
10-4
0-8 over fences but runner-up in five, including at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and on first two starts this season; jumps well but two others saw the 3m6f out much better when he was a fair third to Gaillard Du Mesnil at Cheltenham (soft) this time round.
121U61P-
silk
Longhouse Poet

-

J: J J Slevin
T: Martin Brassil
9
11-0
3m2f winner of non-handicap (soft) last month from Roi Mage; unseated at the first on penultimate start but jumped fluently through most of last year's National, in the first three or four until weakening from two out to finish 34l sixth; has same mark and connections hope he can be switched off better to boost chance of eking out his stamina.
111449-8
silk
Coko Beach

-

J: Harry Cobden
T: Gordon Elliott
8
11-0
Disputed the lead long way when 66l eighth in this race last year; usually ridden more conservatively this season and scored with authority over 3m4f at Punchestown on latest outing, jumping very well; that boosted hopes that he can last longer in this race at the second attempt but it also earned him a big career-high mark.
25142-02
silk
Ain't That A Shame

-

J: Rachael Blackmore
T: Henry De Bromhead
9
10-5
Failed to shine in the 2022 Kim Muir at Cheltenham but improved form on varied ground every time over fences in Ireland; close calls in two good 3m handicaps before easily making all when sights were lowered last month; scopey, long-striding sort who's a fascinating prospect for this distance.
276000-9
silk
Enjoy D'allen

-

J: Simon Torrens
T: Ciaran Murphy
9
10-5
No ground worries but the same can't be said for his jumping, including as he unseated at the first in this last year (20-1) and errors held him back next time in the Irish National, a race in which he'd finished third in 2021; nothing to crow about this term and he's just 2lb lower than 12 months ago; tongue-tie (absent this season) returns.
NRP72-92
silk
Escaria Ten

-

J: -
T: Gordon Elliott
9
10-10
Third in the 2021 NH Chase at Cheltenham over 3m6f but he cracked approaching two out in last year's National and was beaten 75l; also went to nothing in home straight for the Thyestes (3m1f) this January and no show at Cheltenham (2m4f) in March, so all in all he's had a fall from grace; usual headgear is removed.
17P22-P3
silk
The Big Breakaway

-

J: Brendan Powell
T: Joe Tizzard
8
10-10
No win since chase debut in 2020 and he's had his issues, but he almost wiped the slate clean with his first two runs this season when pipped at Haydock and rallying strongly for second in the 3m6f Welsh National; the latter performance would make him a huge player but those with longer memories will have doubts and he showed alarmingly little at Cheltenham last month; blinkers replace recent cheekpieces.
232F636-
silk
Vanillier

-

J: Sean Flanagan
T: Gavin Cromwell
8
10-6
Probably no ground issues; should have been a top chasing prospect going into last season but jumping fences has not come naturally to him, for instance in the 2022 NH Chase at Cheltenham; had back surgery since, fell nevertheless on his penultimate start but the latest was more reassuring; when he's on song he stays on strongly like a prime candidate for long distances.
9343242
silk
Lifetime Ambition

-

J: Sean O'Keeffe
T: Mrs John Harrington
8
11-3
Often front-runner; has run well in all his races when at about 3m (snaffled up by The Big Dog in the Troytown on soft at Navan) but has never been beyond that; took very well to these fences when fourth over 2m5f in November, so looks well capable of a bold show for a long way.
32386515
silk
Gabbys Cross

-

J: Peter Carberry
T: Henry De Bromhead
8
10-2
No ground worries; won at Galway (2m6f) last July but subsequent evidence, including two creditable shows in big 3m handicaps, suggests he is handicapped up to his best and can make mistakes; should stay beyond 3m but has so much further to go here.
21P30P46
silk
A Wave Of The Sea

-

J: Shane Fitzgerald
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
7
10-6
Second and fourth in last two editions of the Munster National on soft at Limerick in October were his best efforts over 3m; however, he can make jumping errors and Leopardstown on penultimate start showed that he's still fully effective over 2m1f, which is not overly suggestive of a Grand National victory; switches headgear.
3642P1R6
silk
Dunboyne

-

J: Jack Tudor
T: Gordon Elliott
8
10-2
2lb out of the handicap; refused to race once last November and soon dropped himself out once in December; on the other hand he also had a 10l win this winter, lost the Thyestes by a short head (to Carefully Selected) and also ran creditably at Cheltenham, all in the mud, but Mr Incredible finished more strongly in the latter; blinkers replace usual cheekpieces.
18403F29
silk
Cape Gentleman

-

J: Jody McGarvey
T: John Joseph Hanlon
7
10-8
Initial promise as a novice (October 2021) has not been fulfilled; probably best run since when staying on in the 3m Kerry National last September only to fall at the last; unraced beyond that distance; changed hands and left Emmet Mullins before penultimate start; latest was a step back in the right direction but he has a lot to prove.
131312-3
silk
Gaillard Du Mesnil

-

J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
7
11-0
Has never finished out of the first three in his nine races over fences, including when third in the 3m5f Irish Grand National (yielding) last term and arriving on the scene in the nick of time to send the favourite backers home happy in last month's 3m6f NH Chase at Cheltenham (soft); this even greater stamina test has to make appeal.
631-4U2
silk
Capodanno

-

J: Danny Mullins
T: W P Mullins
7
11-5
Never-dangerous fourth in 3m Grade 1 novice race at Cheltenham in March 2022; jumped and ran better when ridden up with the pace for Grade 1 win at Punchestown that April; improved again at 2m4f in the mud on his only start this season, so he arrives with further potential, as well as with stamina all to prove beyond 3m.
26145-1U
silk
Corach Rambler

-

J: Derek Fox
T: Lucinda Russell
9
10-5
Never-nearer fourth to Le Milos at Newbury (3m2f); ran respectably over 3m5f at Warwick last term and loudly demands another go at a marathon distance, now that his strong finish from well off the pace has won him the 3m1f Ultima Handicap at Cheltenham for the second year in succession; due to go up 10lb, so he's the pick of the weights; has his own way of doing things and plotting his way through the pack will need luck, but he gave probably his most professional display last time (on soft) and brings plenty of positives.
33003201
silk
Recite A Prayer

-

J: Jack Foley
T: W P Mullins
8
10-2
All his three wins under rules were on good ground but his third of 17 in the Cork National (3m4f) came in the mud; major backward steps in his two races since (he's been off since Christmas) and the first of them was over these fences.
2421PP0-
silk
Velvet Elvis

-

J: Darragh O'Keeffe
T: Thomas Gibney
7
10-6
No ground problems; good jumper; sixth in the Irish National one year ago showed he stays 3m5f and he's surged back to form for his last two outings; beaten by Any Second Now last time but much better off at the weights today; considered.
2832B-PR
silk
Mr Incredible

-

J: Brian Hayes
T: W P Mullins
7
10-4
7yo who's had very few races and refused to participate meaningfully in two of them; has set off okay for new yard this term, albeit among the backmarkers; one of the theories connections have about him is that he much prefers big fields; second over 3m5f at Warwick (heavy) and third in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham suggested stamina reserves and he's basically a good jumper, albeit forfeiting his momentum and perhaps his enthusiasm when meeting the last fence wrong at Cheltenham; if he fancies it, he has the tools to run extremely well.

RACING POST TIP

circle_v2
silk
Roi Mage
Last year's one-two Noble Yeats and Any Second Now could be bang there again, including because there is not a lot of proven strength in stamina among today's opposition, but those top weights have shown their hand from a handicapping perspective. Mr Incredible's run at Warwick suggested no shortage of stamina but the issue with him is temperament, including at the start, which prompts unease about making him top of the list. He will probably have to work his way through from near the back, like Corach Rambler, the progressive form choice. Ain't That A Shame catches the eye among the usual large batch of candidates who now venture at least one mile further than they've been before, but the pick of that group may well be Le Milos, who was so professional in his big 3m2f win in November and has further improvement in him. He is second choice behind something of a dark horse in ROI MAGE. While the latter's run against Longhouse Poet (a non-stayer in last year's National) last month was not solid form, it did show his basic wellbeing and there are strong suggestions from his performances in France that he can reveal himself in a spectacular new light with today's supreme test of stamina. Vanillier will gallop on strongly if he jumps, while Gaillard Du Mesnil looks solid in all departments, but the vote goes to Roi Mage ahead of Le Milos, Mr Incredible and Noble Yeats.

GRAND NATIONAL PREVIOUS WINNERS

GRAND NATIONAL TRENDS AND STATS

  • Had won over at least 3m (chase) before  9/10
  • Officially rated 148 or higher  8/10
  • Aged between eight and ten  7/10
  • Carried no more than 11st  7/10
  • Trained in Britain  5/10
  • SP 25-1 or bigger  5/10

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR? - GRAND NATIONAL 2022

After the 2020 event was cancelled and the 2021 race was held behind closed doors, fans returned to Aintree in their droves in 2022, although not many would have left as winning punters after a shock, yet fairytale outcome. 

It was hoped 2018 and 2019 winner Tiger Roll would bid for a historic third Grand National and equal the feat of the legendary Red Rum, however a row over the handicap weight allotted to him meant owners Gigginstown removed him from contention and he was retired after running at the Cheltenham Festival in March of that year.

Any Second Now, an unlucky third in 2020, was sent off the 15-2 favourite to go two better for trainer Ted Walsh and jockey Mark Walsh. Despite another valiant effort, he could only manage second this time as 50-1 shot Noble Yeats galloped to glory for trainer Emmet Mullins.

The winning jockey, top amateur and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sam Wakey-Cohen, was lining up in his final race before retirement and he claimed the £561,300 winner’s purse in the colours of his father Robert Waley-Cohen, who had bought Noble Yeats two months before with the express purpose of targeting the Grand National.

How to read the Grand National racecard

The Racing Post’s guide to reading the racecard and understanding the form.

 

The racecard is the most important tool in a punter’s arsenal, and therefore being able to understand how to use one is extremely important. The racecard includes various important elements about the race and the runners and often used to help punters decide which horse to bet on. We have broken down each of the elements on a racecard to help you better understand what everything means:

 

Saddle Cloth Number – The horse’s individual race number. This will be prominently displayed on the horse’s saddle.

 

Name – The name of the horse. The horse’s name will often be a creative combination of its parents’ names, or something completely different.

 

Age – The age of the horse isn’t always a way of finding a winner, but some punters look closely at the age of former winners to try to predict a trend.

 

Weight – The weight each horse has to carry is displayed in stone and pounds (eg 9-9). The weight is decided by the conditions of the race, whether the horse is in a handicap or must carry a penalty.

 

Trainer – The trainer of the horse can often be a useful guide, with some trainers having better records with younger horses, horses at different tracks and horses from a certain family. Horses from powerful trainers such as Willie Mullins or John Gosden are likely to be well supported.

 

Jockey – A star jockey like Brian Hughes will always attract attention on the racecard and sometimes it pays to follow a top jockey who has travelled a long way to a meeting just for one ride. Sometimes next to a jockey’s name there is a number in brackets and this is known as a claim, which is a weight allowance given to an inexperienced jockey that is used to reduce their horse’s allotted weight. New jockeys receive a 7lb claim, but as they register more winners it drops to 5lb and then 3lb before they lose that benefit altogether.

 

Form figures – The form figures represent a horse’s finishing position in previous races. This can indicate whether a horse is in-form and can be used as a guide to help pick the winner.

 

Breeding – For many, the breeding is an integral part of the racecard as you can, in theory, work out how good a horse might be by looking at the form of its parents and siblings.

 

C – C stands for Course and will appear next to the name of horses who have achieved a win at the track. Some tracks are quite unusual and knowing your horse is able to handle the track is a positive sign.

 

D – D stands for Distance and will appear if a horse has won over the distance of the race under consideration. This is important, because if a horse has won over the trip before it could do so again and may have an advantage over opponents who lack that proven ability.

 

CD – CD denotes a course-and-distance win, meaning the horse has won over both course and distance at the same time, sometimes if they have won the race in previous years.

 

BF – stands for Beaten Favourite. If the horse was the favourite in their last race, the expectation might have been for them to win and it could be a sign that they have the ability to do better this time.

 

Days since last run – the number next to a horse’s name shows how many days have passed since the horse’s last run. If the horse has been off the track for a while it could be lacking race fitness.

 

Comment – The comment under each horse, or beside a horse’s name, is an expert view on the horse’s form and its chances. Our experts are the best in the business, so it can always help to read their thoughts before placing your bets.

 

Betting forecast – The betting forecast is a prediction of the horse’s odds before the bookmakers have had the chance to price up the race. This tool is a guide to how the betting market is expected to shape up.

 

How To Read The Racing Form

 

Another thing to consider when betting on a horse is their previous form. By looking at their previous form you can learn what a horse is able to do at their best and at their worst too. Recent form can tell us plenty of information about a horse’s ability, but if their recent form appears inconclusive, looking further back at what they’ve done can unearth more information and help you decide whether you should back them or not.

The form figures of a horse are a record of its finishing positions in previous races, in chronological order. Looking at the form of a horse can help sort the winners from the losers, therefore it’s one of the most important features of the racecard. The form is presented as a string of numbers, symbols and abbreviations, all of which denote the outcome of that particular horse’s previous runs. For example, the form could look something like this 2P511/41U1/52-P61. But what does this mean?

Below is a breakdown of the numbers and abbreviations you may find on the racecard form. Remember, form reads from left to right, with the most recent race result on the right.

 

The numbers 1-9 indicate the position the horse finished in the race

The number 0 indicates that the horse finished outside the first 9

The symbol  separates racing seasons. Numbers before the – refer to the previous season

The symbol / indicates a longer gap, for example if the horse missed an entire racing season

 

The following abbreviations often apply to jump racing:

 

F indicates the horse fell

R indicates the horse refused to race

BD indicates the horse was brought down by another runner

U or UR indicates that the horse unseated its jockey

P or PU indicates that the horse was pulled up by the jockey and did not complete the race

More Grand National Resources