As March draws to a close and April dawns the thoughts of the racing community turn to the Grand National, possibly the greatest steeple chase in the world. Established in 1839 and held at Aintree Racecourse every year since, the race has the largest prize pot in the country at just shy of a £1,000,000.
There is nothing quite like the sensation of building anticipation as the jockeys persuade their horse into line. Then the tape rises and the race is on as 40 horses hurtle down towards the first fence. At this race more than any does the nation have a flutter on the outcome, novices and seasoned gamblers alike, with a staggering £80,000,000 bet on the Grand National every year.
Have you have picked a winner this year? If not then we have a few tips to help you make up your mind. When picking a horse you should consider its age, typically a horse of twelve years old is considered to be beyond its finest, so go for between 8 and 12 years old. You should also consider its capability to finish, particularly a long race such as the Grand National, so has the horse won a similar length race before? Does the horse have an Irish connection? It may seem an odd question but if you study the history of the Grand National you will see that the majority of winners are Irish.
The favourite for the race is currently Prince De Beauchene after winning the John Smiths Handicap Chase last year, Junior and Ballabriggs are also favoured to take the race with Treacle, West End Rocker and Burton Port all under 25/1.
