The 2024 Grand National sets off on Saturday, April 13 at Aintree Racecourse with huge potential for punters looking to back the winner.
The national is among the biggest betting occasions of the year with sweepstakes made across offices, friends and families and is often the starting point to many people’s love of the sport.
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The Grand National is the only jumps race that has the world watching with millions tuning in globally.
It’s the biggest race for a reason, on the grandest scale of stamina, physicality and the best and toughest jump horses there are.
But the betting side is a huge driving force for its entertainment, for avid racing fans, one time watchers, and even for those that have never watched a horse race before.
This year, 34 runners will lineup for the first time as the Grand National has made many changes from 2024 onwards.
Grand National 2024 tips
Favourites
The favourites of the field are there for a reason but it doesn’t always mean they’re guaranteed to finish in the places (top 6 with talkSPORT BET).
Corach Rambler won last year and is the clear favourite as he looks to replicate an achievement made by just two horses before Red Rum and Tiger Roll.
One key difference to his run this year is that he’s carrying much more weight.
As this race is a handicap it means better horses carry more to make it more of an even race to those who are rated lower, and thus carry less to give them a fair chance.
Corach Rambler made the most of that low weight last year but comes with much less risk attached than most, as he’s shown he can last the full 4m2f.
That said, Vanillier should also stand a chance as he placed second in the 2023 Grand National.
The grey horse is likely to stand out and be one of a few popular punts of the day.
Stamina is the be all and end all for this kind of a race and having that form is ideal, which gives value to his price.
But another factor that is vitally important this weekend is the runner’s ability to run on testing ground, as the rain has been unrelenting up at Aintree this week.
Also up at the top of contenders is I Am Maximus – trained by Willie Mullins, ridden by Paul Townend in the famous green and gold silks representing owner J P McManus.
The eight-year-old has proven ability over 3m5f and at the top level and should be able to feature heavily in this race.
Stablemate Meetingofthewaters, ridden by Danny Mullins is also trained by the top Irish trainer in the same colours as I Am Maximus, only differentiated by the colour of their caps.
The seven-year-old carries much less weight though which can help over the course of the four plus mile course and taking 30 obstacles along the way.
He placed third in the Ultima at Cheltenham Festival and there’s always a feeling, especially this year that, that can translate to a big run in the Grand National.
It was the same race that Corach Rambler won last year and then went on to win the Grand National a month later.
Meetingofthewaters is only upped 2lb for that decent run and could be well-weighted to strike the front.
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Outsiders
The outsiders of the field in the Grand National are plentiful.
With 34 runners the majority of them are “outsiders” with odds ranging between 5/1 all the way to 100/1 for the entire field.
However, it never means they don’t stand a chance.
Previous years are perfect examples of that. Noble Yeats won in 2022 with odds of 50/1 but stormed home under Sam Waley-Cohen in a fairytale ending to the jockey’s career, who was having one last ride before retirement.
Mon Mome won at 100/1 back in 2009 while Auroras Encore finished first past the post at 66/1 in 2013.
Noble Yeats is probably considered an outsider this year at around 20/1.
He finished fourth last year despite his meteoric rise in the weights from victory in 2022 and is actually 1lb better off than last year’s place finish which gives him plenty to like about his potential.
One of the very few mares in this year’s race Galia Des Liteaux stands out at 25/1 for Dan Skelton, who was the star British trainer at Cheltenham Festival and remains in top form coming into this race.
Harry Skelton will be aboard and the trip, conditions are all set to suit the mare, in the hands of the jockey who won four races at Cheltenham Festival 2024.
Foxy Jacks is a much bigger price at around 66/1.
The gelding goes well on heavy ground and comes into this race fresh having last been seen in December and that is another big factor that can contribute to picking out a horse with real potential.
Grand National 2024 Best bets
- Vanillier 9/1
- Latenightpass 40/1
- Chemical Energy 50/1
- Adamantly Chosen 50/1
Picking the winner of the Grand National is like no other, but it is rare.
Despite the odd favourite winning in recent years, there’s always that chance a big priced runner can surprise us all.
4m2f is a challenging feat for horses to get round so you have to be picking horses that can stay.
Vanillier
Vanillier can certainly go one better as he was just second to Corach Rambler last year by a small margin too.
He’s only been seen in tough races this season so far, interestingly over increasing distances, so is certainly fresh for this task with little milage and really seems to prefer these stamina tests.
He’s just 3lb higher in the ratings for that second place in last year’s renewal and the grey is well-weighted to strike again.
Adamantly Chosen
Adamantly Chosen has drifted in the odds somewhat and that may be because he’s not expected to make the final cut with trainer Willie Mullins and connections perhaps looking at other options for the seven-year-old.
However, if there’s support from both to send him here it will only be because he’s more than ready.
Owned by Watch This Space syndicate, the gelding is an interesting runner with top form. Winning last time out by a wide margin when stepped up to 3m2f for the first time.
Chemical Energy
Chemical Energy is trained by multiple national winner Gordon Elliott.
He’s fairly lightly raced over fences and has shown real stamina, most notably at Cheltenham Festival in 2023 in the Challenge Cup.
He finished just second behind Gaillard Du Mesnil over the tough 3m6f course in what were fairly tough conditions, with the going soft.
He’s only been seen twice since then and stands a massive chance if returning fresh and ready from his latest run in September.
Latenightpass
Latenightpass has four chase wins from eight as well as two second place finishes.
The 11-year-old switched trainers just recently and it would be a massive story if he were to win on his first outing for Tom Ellis.
He’s placed and won once in 2023 over the Cheltenham X Country course, over 3m5f and went well in a Hunters’ Chase at Aintree a few months prior. A real stayer and jumps well so has to be one to watch out for.
Picking out the winner is no easy feat, and with the amount of runners it’s always the best option to bet each-way, meaning you will get paid out 1/5 of your stake even if your horse finishes 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th.
For instance, if you were to bet on Noble Yeats on talkSPORT BET, £5 each-way, for a total of a £10 stake.
You will make a profit of £15 with a total of £25 returned to you, even if he finishes in the places.
Your bet is made of two parts, one to win and one to place – your £5 place bet is the winner at 1/5 odds of 20/1.
- Corach Rambler – 5/1
- I Am Maximus – 7/1
- Vanillier – 9/1
- Meetingofthewaters – 10/1
- Panda Boy – 12/1
- Kitty’s Light – 12/1
- Mr Incredible – 12/1
- Mahler Mission – 14/1
- Nassalam – 16/1
- Minella Indo – 16/1
- Delta Work – 20/1
- Limerick Lace – 20/1
- Noble Yeats – 20/1
- Galia Des Liteaux – 25/1
- Latenightpass – 25/1
- Galvin – 28/1
- Chemical Energy – 33/1
- Stattler – 33/1
- Capodanno – 40/1
- Roi Mage – 40/1
- Coko Beach – 40/1
- Adamantly Chosen – 50/1
- Ain’t That A Shame – 50/1
- Foxy Jacks – 50/1
- Glengouly – 50/1
- Mac Tottie – 50/1
- The Goffer – 50/1
- Farouk d’Alene – 66/1
- Minella Crooner – 66/1
- Chambard – 66/1
- Eldorado Allen – 66/1
- Janidil – 66/1
- Run Wild Fred – 66/1
- Eklat De Rire – 100/1
See all Grand National odds HERE.
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All odds correct at time of writing
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- Grand National 2024 tips, best bets, favourites and outside chances
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