The Crabbie’s Grand National Festival is fast approaching once again, with punters having a little less than three weeks to choose their winning horses.
The three-day horse racing event takes place in Aintree, Liverpool, and begins on Thursday, April 9th.
Day one sees four grade one contests take place, as well as attendants being treated to live music and entertainment.
Day two sees the female’s takeover the show with the annual Ladies Day. Apart from the glowing dresses on display, the key races on this day to keep an eye out on are: The Topham Steeple Chase, Melling Steeple Chase and the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.
On Day three the main event takes place, and it’s the race that the punters looks forward to the most. The Grand National race attracts bets from around the world, and even those with little knowledge or interest in horse racing on any other day of the year usually have a little dabble.
40 horses and jockeys will line up at the starting line of the biggest race, which includes notable fences such as Canal Turn, Becher’s Brook, Valentine’s and The Chair.
The 40 runners jump 30 fences in two circuits of the course, and the Grand National is run over four miles, three and a half furlongs.
Statistically, 21% of the horses in the Grand National race fall at the first hurdle, and should any horse get past this obstacle, they will be in with a much greater chance of winning with such a large chunk of the competition being wiped out so early on.
The average odds of a winner in history stand at 20/1, with the shortest odds of a winner at 11/4 when Poethlyn won in 1919. The highest odds winner has been in more recent times, when 66/1 long shot Auroras Encore won back in 2013.
The race is broadcast live on Channel 4, with Clare Balding presenting the show on the Saturday from 12pm, before the race beginning at 4.15pm.
It’ll be the final Grand National for retiring racing legend AP McCoy, whilst 2003 winner Barry Geraghty has been forced to withdraw from the race after suffering a hairline fracture in his leg.
This years favourites for the Grand National main event are as follows:
Shutthefrontdoor 8/1
Balthazar King 12/1
Rocky Creek 12/1
The Druids Nephew 14/1
Cause of Causes 20/1
Good luck to those planning on having a bet on the event, and let’s hope for an injury free festival this year, for the Jockeys and horses alike.
