In what will be the race’s 158th event, the 2019 Grand National could be one of the history books as Tiger Roll is tipped to become the first horse since the famous Red Rum to win the race consecutively. As always, the Grand National is one of the most popular and highly anticipated races in the world and is one of the biggest events for betting. But how can you increase your chances of a win and which horses are expected to perform well on race day? Here are some tips to get you started.
Picking a Winning Horse
The first tip for picking a winning horse is to look for those with previous form around the course. The Grand National poses a unique test for horses and those experiencing it for the first time are often at a disadvantage, so you want to opt for the horses that know what to expect. Stamina is also critical – nine of the last ten winners had won over at least three miles, so any runner that doesn’t meet this requirement should not be on your list. You can also check the results at Timeform once the race is over.
The Grand National has evolved over the years too, with the big prize fund attracting all different classes of horses but pay particular attention to horses which have contested Graded races. Finally, with 40 runners, there are plenty of opportunities for even the biggest favourite to find themselves out at the first fence. So even if it means reducing your stakes, it pays to spread your money out across multiple runners rather than banking on just one horse.
Grand National Tips
Anibale Fly – 14/1
A regular Grade 1 runner and an expected popular runner with punters after his Gold Cup second last time around, Anibale Fly came fourth in last year’s Grand National and stays the trip.
Valtor – 50/1
This ex-French-trained stayer shocked everyone in December when he bolted up on his first run for Nicky Henderson at Ascot, for which he was raised 12lb in the handicap. The Grand National has been a target for Valtor for a long time and 2019 could be the year for victory.
Tiger Roll – 9/2
Tiger Roll is this year’s favourite, having seen success in the Cross-Country Chase at Cheltenham last season and winning the Grand National last year in thrilling fashion. Tiger Roll is looking better than ever this time around and despite being a short price, he is by far the likeliest winner.
Lake View Lad – 18/1
Unlike others in this race, Lake View Lad is still showing improvements and could be an interesting challenger come race day. He has been trained by Nick Alexander and jumps well, having carried top weight at Cheltenham where he finished third.
Rathvinden – 11/1
Rathvinden is a major player and a number one hope for Willie Mullins following an impressive reappearance victory in the Bobbyjo Chase. Rathvinden has excellent stamina and is very well handicapped, with a prolific history of wins already checked off.
