Grand National 2023
With the Cheltenham Festival out of the way for another year, the leading bookmakers are gearing themselves up for the biggest day on the racing calendar, the Grand National. This world-famous marathon takes place on Saturday, April 15th and will be watched live by an audience of hundreds of millions around the world as well as over 70,000 at Aintree Racecourse.
The Grand National is one of the biggest horse races in the world and provides spectators with a thrilling display over a distance exceeding four miles. This is the race upon which everyone (and their granny) places a bet and the leading UK betting sites are gearing themselves up for what is set to be a massive day.
The Grand National itself is the culmination of three days of top-quality racing at Aintree and this test of stamina never fails to excite the crowd at the Merseyside venue. Emmet Mullins-trained Noble Yeats won the race in 2022 and the 8-year-old is currently one of the favourites to repeat this feat in Grand National 2023.
How to bet on the Grand National
The leading bookmakers such as William Hill, Ladbrokes and The Pools all provide punters with dedicated offers for the Grand National and when betting with one of these respected betting operators, you can use these offers on the big race itself. The process of placing a bet on the Grand National is the same across all bookmakers, however there are many bet types which could assist you along the way.
Grand National non-runner, no bet – Many of the leading bookmakers will offer ‘non-runner, no bet’ in the lead-up to the Grand National. This simply means that if you place a bet on a horse and it subsequently doesn’t run, you will receive a full refund of your stake.
Grand National extra places – As a handicap race which involves over 16 horses (max 40 in the Grand National), the usual terms for a contest of this nature is four places. Nevertheless, in recent years most of the UK bookmakers as well as the leading betting sites for Irish customers have stretched this to five or six places, some firms even going as far as seven places.
Grand National faller offers – It certainly pays to shop around when placing bets on the Grand National, some bookmakers offering a free bet should your horse fall, be brought down or unseat. These offers all contain terms and conditions which will differ considerably between bookmakers.
Choosing a Grand National winner
Choosing a Grand National winner is notoriously difficult, this contest being a real marathon test of stamina and wits. Up to 40 horses will be competing over a distance of over 4 miles and 2 furlongs with 30 obstacles needing to be overcome along the way. Nevertheless, this race has been taking place since 1839 and as such, there is a wealth of historical data which can help you in your search for a potential winner.
For example, always pick a horse with proven stamina. Every winner bar one since 1970 has previously won over a distance of three miles and with the Grand National over four miles in length, contenders need to have proven themselves over lengthy trips.
Irish stables have an excellent record in the Grand National, three of the last four winners having been trained on the Emerald Isle. Picking an Irish horse in the race doesn’t guarantee you a winner but on recent showings, it can boost your chances of success.
Check the weights allocated to the Grand National entries. Only two winners of the race since 1977 have been given a weight exceeding 11st 5lbs, therefore our advice would be to look at horses carrying less than this.
With the Grand National attracting bets from people who would otherwise never place wagers on horse racing, many simply choose a name which has relevance to them. To be honest, this is a decent approach as it simply adds an element of fun to the race. This is after all supposed to be an enjoyable pastime, if you win it is purely a bonus.
Who are the main contenders in 2023?
Tiger Roll (winner in 2018 and 2019) has thus far been the only horse to win back-to-back Grand Nationals since Red Rum in the 1970s, however 2022 winner Noble Yeats is one of the favourites (best odds 9/1) to repeat his success in the 2023 renewal and make it two on the bounce. This runner was a rank outsider heading into the race twelve months ago with odds as high as 50/1 but he proved his many doubters wrong with a solid performance throughout.
Corach Rambler currently heads the market for the 2023 Grand National, the Lucinda Russell inmate shortening to 8/1 favourite after successfully defending his Ultima Handicap Chase crown at the Cheltenham festival last week.
Mr Incredible is high in the betting right now, the Willie Mullins 9-year-old an excellent jumper and stayer, abilities crucial in this marathon contest. With a clear round, this contender has an excellent chance of making the frame.
Delta Work claimed the Cross Country at the Cheltenham Festival for a second time in impressive style last week and the 10-year-old is one of the favourites to claim glory at the Grand National. He finished third to Noble Yeats and Any Second Now in the 2022 renewal and he is fancied to improve upon this in less than four weeks’ time.
Best Odds and Free Bet Offers
Once you have selected your horses for the 2023 Grand National, it is vital that you get the very best odds available to you and get hold of the very best bookmaker bonuses on offer for the big race. All of the major UK and Irish betting operators offer a wide range of free bets to new and existing customers as well as a range of enhanced places and price boosts. You can use these to obtain extra value on your Grand National bets as well as the other races throughout the three-day meeting.