There has been rise in Irish trained horses winning festivals and races. Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins not only lead the pack when it comes to Irish trainers, but the duo is seen as the top trainers in Europe currently.
Although both have had a lot of success in recent races and festivals, there is still a strong British contingent heading into April’s Grand National. Nicky Henderson and reigning Gold Cup winning trainer Collin Tizzard continue to develop world-class race horses. The Grand National festival is just a few weeks away and picking a horse to win depends on a number of Sbat tips and factors. One of those factors is the horse trainer and the experience they have had previously in Europe’s biggest horse race.
Willie Mullins
Horse trainer Mullins became the 2016-17 Irish Champion trainer on the back of some outstanding performances by his horses. Winning trophies and cups is nothing new to Mullins, however. In 2005, Mullins won the Grand National with horse Hedgehunter, who was ridden by famed jockey Ruby Walsh. Ten years later, Mullins had eight of his trained horses win races at Cheltenham, setting a record that wasn’t equaled until 2018. Total Recall is a Mullins trained horse many expect to win this year’s Grand National.
Gordon Elliott
Elliott tied Mullins’ mark of eight horses winning eight races at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018. Elliott’s first Grand National win came in 2007, which also happened to be his debut year in the event. The horse, Silver Birch, was a 33/1 outsider, but it came good on the day. Elliott will have two marquee horses running in this year’s Grand National. Tiger Roll and Cause for Causes come into the race at 14/1 and 16/1 odds, respectively.
Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson is one of the, if not the, top British horse trainers right now. Henderson has won the British jump racing championship four times in his career. He has also trained over 2000 horse race winners in his 40-year career. Despite all of his racing success and fame in the sport, Henderson has never won the Grand National. Gold Present may be his best chance in 2018 to finally break his duck.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has trained two Grand National winners. The first came in 1998 when Earth Summit ran to glory. The second win occurred four years later as Bindaree ran across the finish line first. Twiston-Davies latest protégé is Blaklion. The horse is second in antepost odds at 12/1 and could hand Twiston-Davies his third win at the festival.
Colin Tizzard
Tizzard is on cloud No. 9 after double win successes at Cheltenham. Tizzard saw his horse Kilbriken Storm win the Novices’ Hurdle before Native River scampered to Gold Cup glory in the biggest race of the festival. Tizzard has already retired Native River for the rest of the season. However, the British up and coming horse trainer has The Dutchman listed in the Grand National race. The horse is currently an outsider, but as race day approaches, the Gold Cup winning trainer could see his odds improve.
