Three tips that could help you pick the winner in this year’s Grand National

The Grand National is one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar. Every year, millions all over the globe set reminders for the marathon race and it has become somewhat of a tradition to have a little flutter on a horse or two. In fact, it’s believed that half of adults in the United Kingdom lay a bet for the four-and-a-quarter-mile outing.

However, picking a winner in the Aintree showpiece is a notoriously difficult feat, and whilst the Grand National betting in 2021 is heavily favouring the Trevor Hemmings-owned Cloth Cap, whose odds are getting shorter and shorter by the day, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a big winner from left of field upset the market leaders.

For those whose only dabble of the year is the National, the jockey’s silks and the horse’s name can play a big part when looking at the racecard. However, there is much more to picking a potential winner than that. So, to help you stand more of a chance this year, we have put together these three tips that could help you reign victorious in this year’s race. Read on to find out more!

Check the horse’s weight

The horse’s weight is an extremely important thing to look out for when studying the form guides. 12 of the last 20 National winners have weighed between 10st 7lb and 11st 1lb, so this is the weight bracket you will want to stay within. It takes an incredibly talented horse to break the mould, like Tiger Roll for example, who was 11st 5lb when he landed his second victory in a row in 2019. It’s worth noting that he was 10st 13lb when he won in 2018, however.

The horse needs to have proved it can stay the distance

As already mentioned, the Grand National course at Aintree is a huge four-and-a-quarter-mile long track. That means that your selection needs to have proved in the past that he or she has the stamina to stay the distance. One thing to look out for is that the horse needs to have at least place over two miles, seven-and-a-half furlongs. However, winning over three miles is preferable. To put it into context, only one of the last 10 winners didn’t have a victory over three miles on his CV. So, it really is a must have!

When it comes to making a selection, age is not just a number

In more recent times, eight or nine seems to be the age to look out for. Three of the last five winner have been eight with the other two nine. Before that, it was 10 or 11-year-olds who dominated, with every win between 2010 and 2014 falling in that age bracket. That last time a seven-year-old won the National was Bogskar in 1940, whilst, whilst Amberleigh House was the last 12-year-old victor in 2004. Therefore, sticking between eight and 11 would be recommended. But, going by more recent times, you might want to stay with eight or nine-year-olds.

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Other things to look out for include: Irish-trained horses and how much rest the horse has had before heading to Aintree. Irish-trained horses have taken over National Hunt racing in recent years, and they have won three of the last four editions of the race. In terms of breaks, avoid any horses who haven’t had an outing within the 56 days leading up to the Aintree spectacle.

Our Tip: Any Second Now (10/1) – Any Second Now pretty much ticks all the right boxes:

• Trained in Ireland by former National-winning trainer Ted Walsh
• At nine, he is the perfect age.
• He won his last outing at Navan on March 13th, so he falls within the 56-day bracket
• He has previously won over three miles – Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in 2019.
• And finally, at 10-9, he is nestled perfectly in the right weight classes.

Bet on Trifecta Box

Trifecta Box Betting is a type of horse racing bet that allows bettors to cover multiple combinations of horses in a single wager, increasing the chances of winning but also raising the cost of the bet. In a Trifecta Box bet, you select a group of three or more horses to finish in the top three positions in any order in a specific horse race.

Trifecta Box Betting provides a greater chance of winning compared to a straight Trifecta bet, but it comes with a higher cost due to the increased number of combinations covered. This type of bet can be attractive for bettors who have a strong feeling about a group of horses but are not confident about the exact order in which they will finish.