Press release – In a couple of weeks time the weights for the 2017 Randox Health Grand National will have been revealed but two horses who will not feature among the 110 horses entered for the world’s most famous steeplechase will be leading Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup contender and already winner of this season’s Hennessy Gold Cup and Coral Welsh Grand National Native River and last year’s fourth Gilgamboa.
The former had been the 16-1 joint favourite ( with The Last Samurai ) prior to the initial entry stage while the latter had gone into many notebooks as a possible winner of this year’s renewal after staying on behind the winner Rule The World last April on ground that wouldn’t have suited and a 33-1 chance with most bookmakers.
While last year’s winner will not attempt to retain his crown on Saturday 8th April having been retired following his six length defeat of The Last Samurai for trainer ‘ Mouse ‘ Morris and jockey David Mullins the Irish are likely to be strongly represented being responsible for a third of the entries made.
Gordon Elliott, currently leading the Irish training championship, has no few than 14 possibilities including one of the likely top weights in the high-class Don Poli who is 16-1 joint favourite with last year’s runner-up in many bookmaker’s list although 20-1 is currently available with a handful of firms including Skybet, Ladbrokes and William Hill.
Connections of Warwick’s Betfred Classic Chase winner One For Arthur expressed their desire to go for the big prize with the eight-year-old son of St Leger victor Milan and the horse can be backed at 25-1 with both Paddy Power and Betbright while most firms go five points shorter to provide Lucinda Russell with a winner for the North.
The David Pipe-trained Vieux Lion Rouge could manage only seventh place in 2016 but has since gone on to take the Betfred Becher Chase over the Grand National fences last December, with The Last Samurai and One For Arthur back in third and fifth places respectively. Like One For Arthur the son of Sabiango is only an eight-year-old and with that experience under his belt is sure to prove popular with punters on the day making the 25-1 on offer with Skybet, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and William Hill potentially very generous. For more offers on the event, check our Grand National Betting 2017.
Other horses who are likely to feature at the head of the ante-post market when the weights are revealed on Tuesday 14th February are Scottish Grand National winner Vicente, Minella Rocco, who won last season’s National Hunt Chase and the JP McManus-owned Carlingford Lough.
Watch out for the latest news following the unveiling of the weights for the world’s most famous steeplechase.
Source: Press release