THE Grand National is the biggest race of the year – but trying to pick a winner is a punting minefield.
Even the shrewdest operators can struggle to turn a profit on the 40-runner blockbuster.
While someone with absolutely no clue can quite easily pick the winner.
It's what makes the race so special and keeps punters coming back year after year.
But whether you're a seasoned bettor or totally new to the game, there's always something to learn.
Here, Sun Racing's top tipster Templegate guides you through everything you need to know for Aintree.
HAVING A BET
We all love to take a few quid off the bookies. There are various ways of doing this, here are just a few:
WIN SINGLE: This is where you pick a horse and back it to win. It has to be first past the post to get a return.
EACH-WAY: This is where your horse either has to win or finish in the places. Usually the places are the first three for races of 5-15 runners, or the first four for 16-runners or more.
Most read in Horse Racing
This 10-1 shot can win for the Skeltons in first-time cheekpieces
My NAP can build the bank for the Grand National Festival
Mystery as heavily-backed horse is BARRED from running two minutes before race
I'm a student who's won £200k with my Grand National fav – mum's jealous!
With an each-way bet half your stake goes on the win, and half goes on the place which is paid out at either a fifth or a quarter of the odds depending on your bookie.
FORECAST: This is where you try to name the horse that will finish first and the one that will come second – in the right order. A bit tricky!
ACCUMULATORS: Also known as an acca, this is where you try to pick the winner of two or more different races – and they all have to win to get a payout. Even more tricky!
HORSES FOR COURSES
Aintree is unusual in that it is two racecourses in one. The Mildmay course is the conventional track where most of the races are run.
It features standard birch fences and hurdles like you would see anywhere.
It is one of the flattest tracks in the country, unlike undulating Cheltenham.
OFFERS OF THE DAY
Bet UK: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets and Bonuses – CLAIM HERE
William Hill: Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets – CLAIM HERE
Betfair: Bet £10 Get £30 – CLAIM HERE
Paddy Power: Bet £20 and get it back as Cash if it Loses – CLAIM HERE
Coral: Bet £5 Get £20 – CLAIM HERE
Sky Bet: Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Horse Racing Bets – CLAIM HERE
Bet UK: New customers only. 7 days to deposit and stake £10 minimum bet at odds of 1.5 or greater to qualify. Max 3x £10 free bets credited on bet settlement. Free bets must be used on 4 or more selections with selection odds of 1.3 or greater. Free bets non-withdrawable and stake not returned with winnings. 7 day expiry. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
William Hill – 18+. Play Safe. When you sign-up via Mobile using promo code N40 and place a bet of £10/€10 or more we will give you 4x £10/€10 free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. begambleaware.org
Betfair – Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly 18+ begambleaware.org
Paddy Power: New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any market at odds of min 2.0 (EVS) and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. 18+ Begambleaware.org
Coral: Eligible UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cash-out, restrictions & T&Cs apply. 18+ T&Cs Apply. Begambleaware.org
Sky Bet: NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. FIRST SINGLE & E/W BET ONLY ODDS OF 1/1 OR GREATER. 3 X £10 BET TOKENS. FREE BET STAKES NOT INCLUDED IN RETURNS. FREE BETS ONLY REDEEMABLE ON HORSE RACING. FREE BETS ARE NON WITHDRAWABLE. NO FREE BET EXPIRY. ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AND FURTHER T&CS APPLY. 18+ Begambleaware.org
Many horses who don’t stay the distance at the Festival run much better at Aintree which is less of a stamina test.
Then there’s the Grand National course. It features the big, green spruce fences that make the place so special.
There are famous obstacles like The Chair in front of the stands, which is the tallest at 5ft 3ins.
The Canal Turn is another important fence at the top end of the track where horses have a sharp left-hand turn after they have jumped it.
Becher’s Brook is another famous obstacle. It’s named after Captain Martin Becher who fell there in the first race officially called the Grand National in 1839.
The 40-year-old’s mount Conrad was leading but slammed the brakes on at the fence, hurling Becher over the top and into the brook which was full of water in those days.
It has since been filled in and the fence is no tougher than the others.
The National course is used just three times at the meeting – for the Foxhunters’ amateur riders’ race on Thursday, the Topham on Friday and Saturday’s big one.
SAFETY FIRST
There have been massive modifications to the Aintree track to make the Grand National safer.
The wooden poles that used to be under the spruce have been replaced with light plastic.
The drops behind fences have been filled in so it’s easier for horses to land.
The start was moved away from the crowds so the runners don’t get buzzed up by the cheers – and the race distance has been shortened to four miles, two furlongs. A furlong is an eighth of a mile.
There are also chutes around each fence for loose horses to run out of the way and not cause the kind of chaos we saw in the past.
The race is still a challenge and a spectacle but there are far fewer fallers than in the old days – six last season.
BASH THE BOOKIES
Make sure you shop around for the best offers when it comes to the National itself.
Some bookies pay as many as seven places for each-way punters in the big race. Make sure you don’t end up with just four places as some high street bookmakers will offer.
If you’re betting on the morning of the big race, you should probably take the price as many fancied runners will shorten in the hour before the off.
And if your fancy is 12-1 or less I wouldn’t go each-way as the return for a place will be pretty small.
Instead have win bets on two horses instead which will cost you the same amount.
TALKING TRAINERS
A few trainers have managed to make hay at the Aintree Festival in the past decade.
Gary Moore’s runners have generated a profit, as has Lucinda Russell and Henry De Bromhead but it’s not easy for yards to get winners at such a competitive meeting.
Some of the big boys operate at much lower than their usual strike-rates.
Paul Nicholls has eight per cent winners, local hero Donald McCain is on just three per cent, while it’s five per cent for Dan Skelton.
Nicky Henderson does a bit better on 14 per cent but you would still make a loss backing all his runners.
Venetia Williams’ record is now 0-55 at the meeting in the past ten years with only three horses in the placings.
Henderson is desperate to end his Grand National hoodoo with no horse even in the first four since Brown Windsor in 1990.
Nicholls has won one National but has just three other places from 78 runners. Philip Hobbs is no places from 31 runners.
On the positive side, Gordon Elliott has three wins in the great race plus three places.
JOCKEYS TO WATCH
Of current riders, Harry Cobden ties for the most Aintree Festival wins with eight and you make a handsome profit backing all his mounts.
Nico De Boinville shares the eight mark but makes a loss. Mark Walsh has the best strike-rate of the big boys with 22 per cent winners to show a profit.
Looking at current jockeys in the National itself, Davy Russell has won it twice on Tiger Roll with another placed effort.
At the other end, Paddy Brennan has failed to finish on nine of his 11 National mounts, it’s 10 non-finishes from 14 for Aidan Coleman, Brian Hughes has got round once from eight attempts.
Paul Townend has failed to get round nine times from 11 goes with 11th his best finish and that was his first try in 2009.
Sam Twiston-Davies is looking for his first placing in the race.
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL FORM
Last year, 11 of the 21 winners at the meeting had run at the Cheltenham Festival and there’s a bigger gap this time so horses have had more time to recover.
That figure is about the average with 107 Aintree Festival winners in the past decade running at Cheltenham.
A run at Leopardstown last time out is worth looking out for as those horses show a profit backing them all blind.
IN THE PADDOCK
You should get a good look at the runners in the paddock – also known as the parade ring – on telly before the big races.
Most jumps horses are experienced being a bit older than Flat runners and handle things well.
But you can look out for a horse that is agitated when walking around – especially if they are sweating between their rear legs.
That is a sign that they are using up precious energy they need for the race.
On the plus side, if the horse has a nice, shiny coat – effectively its skin – that is usually a good sign. If the horse’s coat is dull that can be a negative.
Also it’s good to see the horse walking round looking alert, taking an interest in their surroundings without getting wound up.
Read More on The Sun
I’m a McDonald’s superfan and you’ve been eating it all wrong
Alison Hammond strips to red bikini for hot tub session with the Speakmans
After that, all that's left to do is find some winners… easy!
But these tips will at least put you on the right path. Good luck.
FREE BETS GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERECommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
Source: Read Full Article
