Provision top-weight Conflated was the only withdrawal at the final declaration stage for the 2024 Grand National. That ensured numbers 2-35 all rose one place in the handicap to complete the final field, with one of the leading British fancies, Kitty’s Light, being the last horse to make the cut at the foot of the weights.
The new top-weight is 2022 winner Noble Yeats, who will concede 4lb and more all-round as he looks to become the first horse since Red Rum to regain the Grand National crown. Defending champion Corach Rambler will now carry a weight of 11st 6lb in his bid to emulate Tiger Roll and maintain his crown five years on since the diminutive double winner.
Despite doubts about their participation on soft ground, both of owner Ronnie Bartlett’s runners Stattler and Galvin were declared for the race on Thursday morning. They are trained respectively by Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, who combine to field almost half of the runners, with 16 of the 34 declarations representing Irish racing’s biggest yards.
That is double the number of British runners altogether, with just eight of the 34 representing the home side. The defection of Conflated ensured the bottom two in the weights were both British runners, with Chambard penultimate in alongside Kitty’s Light.
There is no longer a reserve system in place at the Grand National so any non runners from this point will simply reduce the field. The hard luck stories belong to connections of Malina Girl and Desertmore House, who both narrowly missed out on the line-up.
Grand National Odds
With Conflated a best-priced 66/1, his lack of declaration has done very little to alter the odds. Kitty’s Light was shortened into a low of 10/1 (best of 14/1) off the back of making the cut, however, though the favourites Corach Rambler and I Am Maximus remained atop the market at best prices of 11/2 and 8/1 respectively.
Grand National Trends 2024 – All the vital stats for Aintree marathon
There have been many changes to the Grand National over many years, but this renewal will see the field size cut from 40 to 34 which shouldn’t have a huge impact in finding the winner but both Auroras Encore (2013) & Minella Times (2021) were number 35 winners. I’m going to look at the last…
Mon 08 Apr 2024
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