With 30 fences to be jumped over four-and-a-quarter miles, it is no surprise the Grand National produces some shock results.
Over the years, there have been five 100-1 winners of the Aintree marathon – Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947), Foinavon (1967) and Mon Mome (2009). The shortest odds winner was Poethlyn in 1919, who went off at a price of 11-4.
In the last ten renewals, horses with odds of 66-1, 33-1 and 25-1 have been successful. This year punters expect a big run from grey mare Snow Leopardess, who would be the first horse to score having had a foal, while Delta Work is a leading contender from Irish stables.
Trained by Gordon Elliott, who has a big team for the main event, the Grade 1 winner pipped National legend Tiger Roll at Cheltenham. So which horses look the most interesting each-way bets? Mirror Racing has nominated three to follow...
Good Boy Bobby (40-1)
Nigel Twiston-Davies knows exactly what sort of horse is required for this race. So it is interesting that the two-time Grand National-winning trainer had Good Boy Bobby earmarked for Aintree since he won a good quality handicap chase at Wetherby in October.
The nine-year-old disappointed in the Coral Trophy last time but he was clearly off-colour that day and had been in really good form prior to that. Good Boy Bobby doesn’t, on the face of it, look like a horse that has anything in hand from his 150 official rating, however that doesn’t take into account the fact he is totally unexposed over trips beyond three miles.
His trainer is adamant the horse stays all day when on song and the majority of recent Grand Nationals have been won by horses tackling the famous fences for the first time, which is what Good Boy Bobby is doing.
Mighty Thunder (40-1)
One of the best Grand National betting angles is siding with a runner already proven in the hurly-burly of a National. Mighty Thunder falls into that category after staying on strongly to win the 2021 Scottish version and the Lucinda Russell's runner will relish the stamina test.
Well-being is an issue for Mighty Thunder because he has been pulled up on both of his last two starts and a respiratory issue was reported at Musselburgh in early February. Connections have had plenty of time to remedy what was ailing him and there is no doubt that this horse could easily prove a force if his breathing isn’t an issue.
He is a sound jumper that stays all day and because of this season’s issues, the nine-year-old races off just a 3lb higher mark at Aintree than he did at Ayr 12 months ago.
De Rasher Counter (66-1)
The 2019 Ladbrokes Trophy Chase hero hasn’t had much luck with injury since that career best run at the Berkshire venue.
However, there was a stack of promise in his return from 16 months off the track back at Newbury in February, where he finished fourth in the Betfair Denman Chase behind a couple of Gold Cup contenders. Emma Lavelle’s talented performer has only tried an extreme trip once in his career.
Undone by heavy ground at Uttoxeter, he will relish getting on some nice spring ground at Aintree. De Rasher Counter is relatively lightly-raced for a ten-year-old and he may still have an even bigger effort in him over staying trips.
His close-to-the-pace run-style is ideal for the demands of the Grand National. That Newbury return should have blown away the cobwebs, he can race off the same mark as when winning the Ladbrokes Trophy and Lavelle’s team in good form.
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