Late support for Le Milos in 2023 Grand National after Skeltons win two handicaps on undercard

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Late support for Le Milos

Dan and Harry Skelton have landed the first two handicaps on the Grand National card at Aintree and there has been late support for their big-race runner Le Milos.

The Coral Gold Cup winner has been 16-1 for much of the day but is now 12-1 in places and a general 14-1 for the big race (5.15).

West Balboa won the 3m½f handicap hurdle for the in-form Alcester stable before Midnight River sealed a double in the 3m1f handicap chase.

Galvin is Davy Russell's final Grand National mount and the Cross Country Chase runner-up is a general 20-1 shot.

Last year's Grand National winner Noble Yeats is a significant drifter in the betting for the big race. He returns off a 19lb higher mark and is 16-1 (from 10)

Tiger Roll won back-to-back Nationals in 2018 and 2019, with Red Rum the previous Aintree star to score consecutively before then back in 1973 and 1974.

Leading bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes have revealed Back On The Lash is the horse they are fearing most in the Randox Grand National, and he is generally 25-1 having been 40-1 on Friday.

The nine-year-old, who runs for Harry Redknapp and is the penultimate runner on the list, was a winner at Cheltenham's cross-country course in January but was pulled up last time out at the festival.

Yet his odds have shortened with bookmakers, as firms believe the combination of his humorous name and the Redknapp factor has appealed to punters.

William Hill report substantial interest in the Willie Mullins-trained Gaillard Du Mesnil, who has shortened across the board and is vying for favouritism with Corach Rambler and Delta Work.

Harry Redknapp: part owner of the well-supported Back On The LashCredit: Getty Images

Ain't That A Shame tops the National betting with Ladbrokes at 8-1, while Back On The Lash has been trimmed into 20-1.

Ladbrokes' Nicola McGeady said: "This year's public horse is shaping up to be Back On The Lash. Whether it's down to the fun name or the fact he is owned by Harry Redknapp, punters want to be with him.

"At the head of the betting remains Ain't That A Shame. Rachael Blackmore's pulling power is as strong as ever, with the nation firmly behind her."

Updated at 4.30pm

Blackmore and Townend fit for National rides

Rachael Blackmore and Paul Townend have been cleared to ride in the Randox Grand National after falls in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle.

Blackmore, who was successful aboard Minella Times in the 2021 Grand National, partners leading fancy Ain't That A Shame in the main race.

Her mount Cool Survivor fell in the Grade 1 novice hurdle, while Townend's ride Dark Raven was fatally injured when exiting the race.

Townend rides Gaillard Du Mesnil, who was successful in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month, in the Grand National.

The field for the National is down to 39 after Escaria Ten was ruled out due to lameness.

He was 150-1 and the rank outsider of the field but had run fairly well in the race last season, finishing ninth. He was the ride of Adrian Heskin, running for the McNeill family. The absence of Escaria Ten reduces Gordon Elliott's team to five.

There are no reserves in this year's National so the race will not reach a full field for the first time since Tiger Roll's first win in 2018, when 38 runners competed.

Updated at 4pm

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Going update

The ground at Aintree was changed to good to soft, soft in places this morning following a dry night in Merseyside, and it is forecast to be a dry and pleasant Grand National Saturday.

Conditions were eased to soft during racing on Friday on a showery day in Liverpool - with 3.6mm of rain throughout the day - but a dry night and more time for that moisture to get into the surface means it will ride quicker on Saturday.

It is set to stay dry throughout Saturday's racing while it will also feel a bit warmer, with potential highs of 12C.

Clerk of the course Sulekha Varma said on Saturday morning: "We're back to good to soft, soft in places. It was dry overnight and it's just a case of yesterday the rain was sitting in the surface and so it was riding like soft ground. Now we've had a good few dry hours that rain has got through the profile. It's walking nicely.

"We're expecting it to be a dry, mild day and it should be a pleasant one for everybody."

The track had watered on Thursday night when the ground was on the quicker side of good to soft, while no water was needed last night.

The GoingStick readings indicate the ground is slightly slower on the National course, which will be raced on only once for the key race. It is 5.1 on the National course, and 5.7 on the chase and 5.8 on the hurdles track.

The softer parts of the National course are down the back, between Foinavon through to the 12th fence.

Posted at 8am

View on course

Our man David Carr reports from Aintree:

It could be another huge day in the life of Lucinda Russell yet there was no sign of any nerves this morning.

She was one of the earliest arrivals in the press room - where she was cheered to the podium by the massed ranks of media after One For Arthur's triumph six years ago.

Corach Rambler has every chance of emulating his famous stablemate this afternoon, even if he has drifted slightly in the betting from the absurdly short price he was cut to after winning at Cheltenham.

Yet his trainer's biggest concern was having double-booked two potentially overlapping radio interviews and she was even prepared to tempt fate by posing for a photo pointing at Arthur's name on the roll of honour.

I also took her photo on the morning of the race in 2017. Is it an omen?

Posted at 10am

Market movers

5.15
Gaillard Du Mesnil 10-1 (from 14)

6.20
Blizzard Of Oz 5-1 (from 6)

Updated at 2.30pm

Non-runners

1.45
Banbridge
Notlongtillmay

5.15
Escaria Ten

Updated at 12pm

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2023 Grand National: the runners, the odds, the verdict 

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