Punters up and down the land will attempt to solve the puzzle of the 2024 Grand National on Saturday 13th April at 4pm, as 34 horses go to post for the world’s greatest steeplechase. One popular option for finding the winner is by picking out a grey horse and there could be up to FOUR greys lining up in this year’s race.
We take a look at the quartet of grey horses set to take their chance at Aintree this weekend and assess their chances.
COKO BEACH – 27/1 with SBK
Eighth in the 2022 Grand National, Coko Beach failed to figure in last season’s contest, but the Gordon Elliott-trained nine-year-old is hoping it’s third time lucky on Saturday and he can finally claim victory in the prestigious event.
Likely to be ridden prominently from the flag fall, Coko Beach heads to Liverpool in fine fettle having last been seen winning over the Cross Country fences at Punchestown in February. A winner of the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan earlier in the season as well, the galloping grey is arguably in the form of his life, but that has seen his handicap mark soar and off 161 (6lbs higher than last year) then he’s going to face a stern test.
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 2024ELDORADO ALLEN – 99/1 with SBK
A Grade 2 winner over fences at his very best, Joe Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen appears to be on the decline and he’s a huge outsider for the Grand National this weekend. Set for his first run in the race, the ten-year-old was last seen pulling up in the Ultima Handicap Chase at last month’s Cheltenham Festival and he will need to improve immeasurably on that effort.
Rated in the mid-to-high 160s at his best, Tizzard’s charge takes his chance off 153 in the Grand National, but he hasn’t tasted success since he won the 2022 Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury, so it’s hard to see him recapturing that sort of form to land a blow in a race that will certainly stretch his stamina.
VANILLIER – 9/1 with SBK
Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier stayed on eye-catchingly well in last year’s Grand National to finish a fine second to Corach Rambler and the Irish-trained grey is set for another crack at Lucinda Russell’s reigning champion and is one of the leading fancies for the 2024 race.
Kept out the back for most of the contest, Vanillier was scything through the field in the closing stages, but the bird had flown out front with Corach Rambler pulling way clear of his rivals to put the race to bed. Only 4lbs higher this year, Vanillier has shown he relishes the test the Grand National has to offer and having warmed up for this effort with a decent second in the Bobbyjo Chase last time out then he could well be a huge player and has to be the leading grey lining up.
Matthew Sutcliffe’s Grand National Value Punts – Four Targeted for Big Race on Saturday
The Grand National is the race everyone wants to find the winner of. However, our value expert Matthew Sutcliffe is not just looking an easy short-priced winner, but one to land a punt at a big price. As such, he has four still in the race to follow five days out from the start. Published:…
Mon 08 Apr 2024PANDA BOY – 27/2 with SBK
Sneaking in at the bottom of the handicap for Saturday’s Grand National is Panda Boy, who has proven extremely popular over the last few weeks and the eight-year-old will be looking to hand Martin Brassil a second in the race. Having saddled Numbersixvalverde to victory nearly 20 years ago, Brassil is back with Panda Boy, who showed his class when second in the hugely competitive Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Last seen having a spin over hurdles, the grey is sure to improve significantly for a switch back to fences and he is certainly one of the least exposed horses in the race and could be very attractively handicapped in what looks a thrilling renewal of the race.
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