Is the 2023 Grand National at Aintree on Saturday (5.15pm, Live on TV: ITV1) set to be another dominated by Irish-trained horses? Quite possibly as they line up in huge numbers but a horse trained elsewhere is a worthy favourite.
Based in Scotland, Corach Rambler’s trainer Lucinda Russell already has a Grand National win to her name, saddling One For Arthur successfully in 2017. This nine-year-old son of Jeremy rewarded his supporters by winning his second consecutive Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. This year there has been an extra week for Festival runners to recover for Aintree making post-Festival fatigue less of a concern than usual.
Corach Rambler is due to go up 10lb after that win and emphatically ticks the well-handicapped box. His running style of travelling well off the pace has been pointed out as less than ideal for the National but his jockey Derek Fox successfully navigated the perils ahead when outpaced on One For Arthur. This will be Corach Rambler’s first run over the National fences but he has never fallen. He has a high head carriage and will need to look down after a fence to check for further obstacles in the shape of fallers.
The next six at the top of the 2023 National betting are all trained in the Emerald Isle. Gordon Elliott has three National victories on his CV has a team of six here. Delta Work finished third last year for Gigginstown and is strongly fancied again at 8/1. He also won at the Cheltenham Festival, posting his second consecutive Cross Country Chase win. He was beaten 20 lengths in the National last time, outstayed in the final furlong. He starts off a 1lb lower mark this year but may well find a couple too good again.
Elliott also saddles the improving nine-year-old Fury Road (50/1) for Gigginstown. He has never fallen or lost his jockey and has shown a liking for Aintree, finishing second behind Ahoy Senor in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase run over three miles and a furlong here last year. His stamina is untested beyond that trip but, partnered by Jonjo O’Neill Jr for the first time, he is not the no-hoper his price suggests.
The grey Coko Beach (33/1) is another Gigginstown-owned runner. He was beaten 66 lengths into eighth place in the 2022 Grand National and his impressive win at Punchestown in February has been noted by the handicapper. He is likely to give Harry Cobden a great spin but is not well handicapped.
Galvin (20/1) finished second to Delta Work at the Festival and will benefit from the wily Davy Russell’s extensive Grand National experience. He won it twice on Tiger Roll. This nine-year-old is a class act with proven stamina. He has never raced at Aintree but is an excellent jumper and, whilst 11st 11lb is a significant burden, he has to be interesting each-way.
Escaria Ten (80/1) and Dunboyne (50/1) complete the Elliott contingent. Dunboyne is a temperamental type who ran well, finishing fourth in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase at the Festival. It was his first try at three and a quarter miles and he found the uphill finish hard work. The substantially lighter burden of 10st 2lb and first time blinkers provide a glimmer of hope at a massive price. There is not much positive for Escaria Ten: He was beaten 75 lengths here last year and appears to be out of form. His price with the bookmakers seems an accurate representation of his chances.
The current titleholder, Noble Yeats (8/1), was last seen staying on to finish fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He won the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree in December. The vast majority of Grand National winners never win a race again but this one is only eight years old and is trained by the young genius, Emmet Mullins, nephew of Willie Mullins. He has been raised 19lb since his win and does not have the benefit of first time cheekpieces or the now-retired amateur Aintree specialist Sam Waley-Cohen on board. Sean Bowen has replaced Sam but may struggle to emulate his achievement.
Any Second Now (16/1) finished third in the 2021 National and was beaten two lengths into second last year. Trained by Ted Walsh, he has been upped 8lb and has to shoulder topweight this time. Now an 11-year-old, his experience in this race is a positive and he comes into it in good form, having won a Grade 2 in March. He looks very likely to provide his followers with a run for their money under his talented, regular Aintree pilot Mark Walsh but precious few winners have been so heavily burdened. He is a big horse but has to be vulnerable to better-handicapped rivals.
Mr Incredible (14/1) is an interesting Aintree debutant. He is partly owned by Paul Byrne, the man who sold Noble Yeats to the Waley-Cohens last year. This seven-year-old son of Westerner has strong opinions and has refused to race and pulled himself up when trained by Henry de Bromhead. Now with Willie Mullins, he is deliberately worked amongst a mass of horses and encouraged to pass them to prevent him jamming on the breaks suddenly and ditching his work rider. That has happened a lot.
The ‘special needs’ work regime seems to be having the desired effect and he has behaved himself on the track since moving to Closutton. The talented amateur Patrick Mullins, finished third on him in the Kim Muir at the Festival. He stayed on well shouldering 12 stone. Patrick has brains and thinks he has a great chance if he chooses to jump off with the field. Patrick cannot do 10 stone 4lb and Brian Hayes will have his third ride on him. A false start could be an excuse to misbehave but he is an intriguing prospect.
Willie Mullins also saddles Gaillard Du Mesnil (14/1), Capodanno (16/1), Carefully Selected (50/1) and Recite A Prayer (100/1). Gaillard Du Mesnil was most recently seen winning the three mile, six furlong National Hunt Chase at the Festival for amateurs under Patrick and finished third in the 2022 Irish National. This seven-year-old son of Saint Des Saints seems progressive and is the choice Paul Townend, the yard’s top jockey. Gaillard Du Mesnil has never been to Aintree but has an immaculate jumping record and has to be one for the shortlist.
Capodanno won the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown in April 2022 over three miles but has stamina to prove beyond that trip and has only been seen once since. He finished third in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park in February, weakening when it mattered on heavy ground over two and a half miles. His current price suggests he must be working well at home.
Carefully Selected does not have many miles on the clock for an 11-year-old. He started as the 10/11 favourite in the Grade 2 National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival three years ago but went wrong and unseated Patrick after the last fence. He reappeared 1022 days later in December 2022 and beat Dunboyne in the three mile, one furlong Thyestes Chase at the end of January. He was disappointing last time in the Bobbyjo Chase in February, jumping slightly left and finishing fourth, beaten nearly 20 lengths. He is a classy horse that may well be physically compromised. If they have successfully addressed his issues he could run well.
The eight-year-old Recite A Prayer was third in the Cork National in November but has not shown much since, weakening three out in the Becher Handicap Chase in early December and at Leopardstown after Christmas. He has not been seen since but, if undamaged and successfully freshened up, he might well outrun his starting price under Jack Foley.
Martin Brassil sent out Numbersixvalverde to win the 2006 National and saddled Longhouse Poet (14//1) to finish sixth last year. He won last time out at Down Royal and starts off the same mark as last year. Now a nine-year-old, he should do well again but didn’t quite get home before and may well be outstayed again.
Rachael Blackmore partners Ain’t That A Shame (9/1) for Henry De Bromhead. This nine-year-old son of Jeremy is progressive and comes into the race having won over two and a half miles in March but is unproven beyond three miles. Blackmore is bound to give him a brilliant ride but his price seems based on her achievements and the yard is not in the best of form.
The first horse trained in England in the 2023 Grand National betting is Dan Skelton’s Le Milos (14/1). Skelton has made a habit of winning valuable handicaps and has had this race in mind for this eight-year-old son of Shirocco all season. He won the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury in November and was last seen getting narrowly beaten in a three mile listed race at Kelso in early March. That was on good to soft and he seemed to get tired on the run in. He was carrying 11st 6lb and has the reduced burden of 10st 11lb here. He has to be worthy of consideration.
First time headgear can be an advantage making Henry Daly’s Fortescue (50/1), Eva’s Oscar (50/1), Hill Sixteen (66/1) and Joe Tizzard’s The Big Breakaway (33/1) worth a second look.
Our 2023 Grand National Betting Tips Verdict
Finding the Grand National winner has never been easy and traditional trends have been proved irrelevant since the fences were made easier, improving the chances of young, relatively inexperienced horses who are well handicapped.
Any Second Now (16/1) deserves a win but a placing seems more likely. Delta Work (8/1) and Noble Yeats (9/1) are likely to run well but are much more likely to fill a place than win too.
Corach Rambler is a very feasible winner but 8/1 seems ungenerous for a first try at Aintree. Willie Mullins is in great form and Gaillard Du Mesnil is tempting at (14/1) but MR INCREDIBLE could live up to his name. Back him each-way at 14/1 with Bet365. Check the latest 2023 Grand National betting.
Fiona Derek is our horse racing expert. She has been involved with horses since she was a child and is active in horse racing as both a rider and owner. She has also earned a living as a writer.