13 April 2023 , 13:16
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With 30 fences to be jumped over four-and-a-quarter miles, it is no surprise the produces some shock results.
Over the years, there have been five 100-1 winners of the Aintree marathon – Tipperary Tim (1928), Gregalach (1929), Caughoo (1947), Foinavon (1967) and Mon Mome (2009). The shortest odds winner was Poethlyn in 1919, who went off at a price of 11-4.
And in the last ten renewals, horses with odds of 66-1, 50-1, 33-1 and 25-1 have been successful.
Noble Yeats won at 50-1 12 months ago and is expected to run well again as he returns along with Any Second Now and Delta Work, who were second and third.
Corach Rambler, trained in Scotland by Lucinda Russell, has been at the head of the market since the Cheltenham Festival but there is bound to be more adjustments to the betting as the race gets nearer.
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So which horses look the most interesting each-way bets? Mirror Racing has nominated five to follow…
Darasso (80-1)
Not JP McManus’s first choice runner but a very consistent horse representing Joseph O’Brien, who is no stranger to pulling off notable feats. Although he has no experience beyond three miles, he rarely disappoints, finishing in the first three in 28 out of 41 starts. He was second to Hewick in the Galway Plate last summer and has the class to go well, if he stays.
Francky Du Berlais (80-1)
Trainer Peter Bowen is mustard at Aintree. He has sent out 46 winners at the home of the Grand National with his runners showing a profit of £129.58 to a £1 bet. He has won the Topham, also over Grand National fences, five times, and might have won the Grand National in 2007 had McKelvey, who finished second, not broken down on the run-in. Francky Du Berlais was fourth in last year’s Topham and his previous experience of the fences make him a lively longshot.
Hill Sixteen (66-1)
Another Scottish runner who will be ridden by the Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania. Has jumped round the fences before, finishing second in the Becher Chase in 2021 and seventh last year. Didn’t run very well on his only start since, when he lost a shoe, but first time cheekpieces might perk him up.
Roi Mage (40-1)
Represents 81-year-old trainer Patrick Griffin, who has just a handful of horses, and is owned by the Auroras Encore partners, who know a bit about winning this race with a longshot. Was bought for the race and his last time out second to Longhouse Poet, who was sixth in last year’s National, was a creditable warm-up.
Sam Brown (66-1)
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Won at this meeting 12 months ago, although not over Grand National fences, and has been a bit inconsistent. But a reproduction of his third place behind Bravemansgame at Wetherby last October would put him right in the mix if wind surgery, carried out since his latest run, has had the desired effect.