After a thrilling week of National Hunt action at the Cheltenham Festival, racing fans will soon be flocking to Merseyside to visit Aintree racecourse for their three-day Festival from Thursday 3rd April to Saturday 5th April.
The headline race of the meeting is of course the Grand National, which takes place at 4pm on the Saturday. The Grand National is known for its difficulty and unpredictability with 34 horses lining up for the four-mile trip, navigating 30 fences in the process.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the three horses at the top of the market, as well as one at a larger price to keep an eye out for. We’ve already mentioned two runners in an Ante-post Tips blog earlier this month.
William Hill are offering Non-Runner Money Back on the Grand National ante-post market.
Bet on the Grand National NRMB with William Hill
Intense Raffles 7/1
Last year’s Grade 3 Irish Grand National winner Intense Raffles leads the current ante-post market at odds of 7/1 to add the Aintree Grand National to his CV. Initially campaigned by trainer Patrice Quinton in France, Irish trainer Thomas Gibney took over in November of 2023 and saddled Intense Raffles to three victories on the trot at Fairyhouse straight away.
The Irish Grand National form is of course worth looking at given the nature of the test at Aintree, but Gibney’s stayer has since performed well to come second in the Bobbyjo Chase earlier this year which has proved to be a good recent trial for the National. Only beaten three-quarters of a length behind Nick Rockett on soft ground that day, Intense Raffles looks an ideal type for this four-mile trip and looks to have every chance in this year’s renewal, especially off the favourable weight of 10st 10lbs.
Iroko 8/1
Iroko is second in the betting at 8/1 and has obvious claims given his form over at Aintree. Two years ago, Iroko won the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival and then placed third in the Sefton Hurdle at Aintree over an extended three-mile trip a month later and has been campaigned over fences since.
Trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero then took on the challenge at Aintree the following year in the Mildmay Chase, where Iroko finished just four lengths shy of this year’s Gold Cup winner, Inothewayurthinkin, to come second. Although not running over a trip of three miles since that day, Iroko has produced two commendable performances in both the Betfair Chase at Cheltenham and the Bet365 Chase at Kelso this year which could prove valuable preparation for the test at Aintree. Carrying just 10st 11lbs, Iroko could still have plenty left in the tank for the infamous run into the winning post.
I Am Maximus 10/1
I Am Maximus was a worthy favourite in last year’s renewal, winning well by seven-and-a-half lengths to second place Delta Work. His prior run saw him win the Bobbyjo Chase, proving that race’s value in preparation for the big one. He’s been a bit quiet since that run only running twice in two big races, the Savills Chase in December of last year where he was pulled up, and then a following run in early February of this year in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival where he finished eighth.
This is a horse that prefers softer ground and it was too quick for him on both runs this season, so Willie Mullins will be hoping for some rain to fall around Liverpool in the weeks leading up the contest this year. That said, he’s off top weight in this renewal, six pounds higher than last year’s mark, and that could prove an issue amongst the key contenders who’ve got plenty of weight in hand.
Minella Cocooner 33/1
At a larger price, we like the look of another of Willie Mullins’, Minella Cocooner at 33/1. He finished four lengths behind Intense Raffles in the Irish Grand National last year and then stepped up on that performance to land the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
Although disappointing in his first three runs this season in some deep Grade 1 races, his eye-catching performance in the Bobbyjo Chase in February looked a serious improvement from his prior runs and he could just be hitting form at the right time yet again.
At 33/1, we fancy him to at least run into the places.
