Every Grand National has a ‘people’s horse’ and the backing for Snow Leopardess this week has left punters in no doubt as to who is filling the role this year. Charlie Longsdon’s grey mare is aiming to become the first mare to win in over 70 years – Nickel Coin the most recent to triumph in 1951 – and has already proven a hit with punters this week.
Snow Leopardess’ odds have halved from 14-1 to 7-1 with some bookmakers, challenging Delta Work at the top of the market, and it is easy to see why so many fancy her and Aidan Coleman to win the big one at Aintree on Saturday – it would be the fitting finale to her remarkable journey over the last few years.
The ten-year-old, owned by Andrew Fox-Pitt, had a foal during a two year break from racing between 2017 and 2019. You could have been forgiven at that point for thinking her best days were behind her.
READ MORE: Grand National 2022 result predicted by supercomputer with 20/1 winner
But this season has seen Snow Leopardess producing some of her very best runs to date, winning on all three starts. This included success in the Unibet Becher Chase ran over the national course back in December, with Coleman in the saddle and connections will be hoping for a repeat display on Saturday evening when the nation stops to go racing.
With both form and an intoxicating, potentially historic, narrative on her side, many of the big bookmakers are already predicting that she will be the ‘public’s horse’ as spectators return to the race for the first time since 2019. But trainer Longsdon knows that for all Snow Leopardess’ remarkable success so far this season, triumphing in the National would be unparalleled.
His sixth runner in the race to date, this special mare is the first in with a big chance of winning the famous contest.
“The Grand National is the most iconic race in the world, isn't it? It's the most watched race in the world,” he said. “Most families will have five pounds each way which they don't do for any other race. It is that race that captures the imagination. The Grand National stops the nation.
“The Gold Cup is the blue riband there's no doubt, but I think the Grand National is the most iconic and it's the race I think every trainer would love to win. So yes, it would mean the absolute world. That’s what we have dreams for.”
Hopes of her becoming the first grey to win the National in a decade received a boost earlier in the week when the going at Aintree eased to soft. Aidan Coleman will take the reins on Saturday and isn’t surprised to see the support for Snow Leopardess, with a sprinkling of Merseyside rain potentially play to her strengths.
“She's (Snow Leopardess) had an absolutely super season,” said Coleman. “She won at Bangor and then she went to the Becher.
“I was suspended the last day when she ran so I missed her at Exeter, but I'm really looking forward to getting back on her. There's been a lot of money for her all week, which was always going to happen.
“There's a great back story to her and that's been well documented. She's a great mare to be associated with and let's hope its 14th time lucky for me in the race!
“She's always been a particularly good jumper, I suppose the one thing is that the softer the ground the better for her, just to slow them down a touch. You have to take what you get and she does go on better ground, it's not a massive inconvenience to her - it would just play to her strengths if we did get some rain.”
READ MORE: Grand National sweepstake 2022 printable: Download and print your free PDF of the runners
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
