Rachael Blackmore has been warned she will have to be at her very best if she wants to defend her Grand National title aboard Minella Times, as ITV racing pundits cast doubt on the favourite. Blackmore made history in 2021, as she became the first female jockey to win the National following her triumph on the nine-year-old.
The pair now return one year later looking to become only the second winners to defend their crown, with Tiger Roll and Red Rum the only previous consecutive champions. Following the heroics of last year, Minella Times has been backed into favourite for the big race, however the experts aren’t too sure.
2010 winning jockey AP McCoy told ITV Racing that he believes the extra weight could be an issue for the defending champion: “I think he’s got plenty of weight in terms of he’s gone up 16lbs on top of last year. He is favourite only because of Rachael Blackmore.
