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If you hadn’t heard of Cody Gakpo before this year’s FIFA World Cup – you almost certainly would have now. The 23-year-old superstar, who currently plies his trade at PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie, has been exceptional for the Netherlands at the sport’s preeminent tournament taking place in Qatar.

Scoring first for his country in every one of his group games, the six-foot-three-inch-tall winger has been a nightmare for every defence he has faced. His athleticism, strength on the ball, vision and finishing ability from anywhere in and around the 22-yard box is beyond impressive.

As a result of his form, he has been linked with various clubs in the Premier League and La Liga such as Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid. And while all of the four aforementioned clubs are tempting destinations in their own right, it is Manchester United who, at the time of writing, many believe are the favourites to secure the signing of Gakpo.

There were already reports of Gakpo’s and Manchester United’s mutual interest prior to the World Cup – however – provided the form he has displayed in the Middle East – you would think the powers that be at Old Trafford will have to stump up at least a further £20 million than they were initially expecting if they’re to secure the services of the Dutch forward.

If we were to see Gakpo in a Red Devils shirt in 2023, how much of an impact would he have on Manchester United moving forward? In addition to the obvious, which is that he’d provide the Erik ten Hag-managed side an added world-class attacking threat – Gakpo would signal a new era for the famed club.

With the controversy surrounding United and its relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo dominating headlines for the past month – the club’s administrators need to instill confidence in their fans that they are heading in a positive direction – and the signing of Gakpo would provide that. With he, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro all shining for their national teams in the Middle East, their combination for United could prove to be one of the scariest prospects in the Premier League.

Currently sitting as sixth favourites at 66/1 in the Premier League odds to win it all in 2022/23, expect that price to shorten considerably for next season if we are to see Gakpo in the Manchester United red and white.

While fans of the club can at this point in time dream of having Gakpo as part of their squad, he wouldn’t give anything away when pressed about his future, choosing to focus on his exploits with the Netherlands rather than where he will play next.

“I’m not thinking about that now (his future),” he said. “I’m just really focused on the tournament, trying to keep performing well and helping the team and hopefully when we become world champion then I can think about that (the future).

“I’m just trying to keep focused and the other players don’t really talk about those things which also helps me in this situation.”

There have been some remarkable Grand National success stories in the history of thoroughbred horse racing, but the story of Rubio is one of the most important for the American industry. The winner of Aintree’s iconic Grand National steeplechase in 1908, Rubio set the bar high for US-bred steeplechasers. The story behind the success of Rubio is an equally fascinating one.

Rubio’s development

It all began for Rubio stateside under breeder J.B. Haggin. Mr Haggin had a string of promising horses in his Californian stud farm and opted to send Rubio to Newmarket’s selling auctions, given that it was – and still is – the spiritual home of horse racing. The feeling within the Haggin’s stud was that Rubio had strong potential to run well during the British flat racing season.

Rubio’s breeding meant that he certainly came from good stock, with Star Ruby being his sire who was a former racehorse owned by the Duke of Westminster with nine career wins to its name. Eventually, Rubio was snapped up for the princely sum of 15 guineas by a Northamptonshire-based horse dealer called Septimus Clarke. As a successful trader of thoroughbreds, Mr Clarke had no intention of developing Rubio and instead promptly sold him on to Major Frank Douglas-Pennant for 95 guineas, making a handsome 80 guineas profit in the process.

Aged four, Rubio was typically used for hunts, but it was quickly acknowledged that he had plenty of pace left in the tank and had a placid personality ripe for horse racing. Mr Douglas-Pennant tried to sell Rubio as a prospective thoroughbred but his reserve price was never met, so he pursued with him instead. High-end trainer Brian Bletsoe was employed to train Rubio. However, it got to the point that Rubio had weakened so much that he was deployed to pull trolley buses to try and rebuild the strength in his legs. Fortunately, the training regime helped Rubio regain his physical attributes to the point that he was entered into races in 1907.

With one win in three races around Towcester, it was hardly a ringing endorsement of Rubio’s potential. That’s why, in 1908, Rubio was priced as a huge 66/1 outside for the Grand National. Stable mate Mattie Macgregor was deemed to be a much more durable and reliable thoroughbred. Trainer Bernard Bletsoe even allowed his son Bryan to take the ride of Rubio around Aintree. Sure enough, Bletsoe and Rubio would shock the nation by storming to an unprecedented victory by ten clear lengths.

Sergeant Murphy was the next US-bred horse to become a Grand National winner in 1923. In doing so, Sergeant Murphy became the joint-second oldest thoroughbred to win the race aged 13 and this is still the case today.

Why the Grand National remains such an important event worldwide

The Grand National is still the most iconic and valuable steeplechase event in European horse racing, comparable with the US’ biggest races that comprise the Triple Crown schedule. Not only does it carry a hefty prize purse it’s also ingrained in British culture. For many, it’s the one time of the year they place bets with bookmakers.

Although the Grand National is one of the most popular UK horse races to bet on, it’s also one of the hardest to pick a winner. There is so much to consider, given the number of runners and riders, the going of the turf and the age of the horses too. In general, betting on horse racing requires a strategic mindset, so if you know how to play games like poker, you probably already have some of the skills required to make intelligent bets. Whether we are speaking about the Grand National or other major competitions like Aintree, in essence, you have to think like a poker player, taking into consideration the field size and adjusting to the conditions with several each-way bets to increase your chances of prevailing whatever the going of the racetrack.

With an estimated viewer base of 500-600 million from more than 140 nations, it’s clear it captures the imagination worldwide. Had Rubio managed to upset all the odds in the 21^st century, it would have been a tale that hit all the back pages across the globe. Instead, Rubio will be consigned to the record books forever as the first US-born Grand National winner – the first to pass the “ultimate test of horse and rider”.