With the world’s toughest steeplechase set to go on Saturday, Geoffrey Riddle goes over the field and reveals who the favourites are and who may find a way to upset the apple cart.
The history
The Grand National was first run in 1839 when the appropriately named Lottery landed the spoils. The seven kilometre contest comprises 30 fences made of spruce that stand from as high as the 5ft 2in of The Chair, down to the 2ft 6in of The Water Jump. The £1million (Dh5.2m) race is the most valuable National Hunt contest in the world and attracts a full field of 40 horses.
The favourite
Many Clouds bids to become the first horse since the mighty Red Rum in 1974 to win the Grand National two years in a row. A warrior of a racehorse, Many Clouds certainly wears his heart on his sleeve — after last year’s race jockey Leighton Aspell had to dismount after passing the post and Many Clouds had to be administered oxygen. It has been a regular post-race regime for the nine-year-old gelding, who knows how to dig down to his plentiful reserves of stamina.
The other contenders
Where do you start with 39 other horses in the race? Last year’s runner-up Saint Are has been kept fresh for a repeat bid, having had an operation to keep his airwaves clear a few months ago. The Druids Nephew was travelling supremely well when he came to grief 12 months ago and returns with every chance, but it is Sir Des Champs, the choice of the best rider of the 40 in Ruby Walsh, who really catches the eye.
What else to watch out for?
Katie Walsh, Ruby’s sister, is the most successful female jockey in the history of the race, having finished third on Seabass in 2012. She will get the leg-up on Ballycasey, who will be attempting to become the fourth grey horse to win the race. If Aspell wins on Many Clouds he will become the first rider to win the race three times in succession, having struck on Pineau De Re in 2014.
Let’s cut to the chase — who is going to win?
Many Clouds has every chance of becoming the first horse in over 40 years to double up in the most difficult and punishing race in the world, but he has to give over a stone in weight to Sir Des Champs, a horse that has been nursed back to form by top trainer Willie Mullins. If Sir Des Champs does win, it will seal in miraculous fashion the trainers’ title for Mullins from under the nose of perennial champion Paul Nicholls.
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