Age
8 to 10 is the optimal age for a Grand National winner.
Noble Yeats tore up the rule book when winning the Grand National in 2022. A seven-year-old novice with an amateur, albeit incredible, jockey on board. But we were thrilled to see Sam Waley-Cohen retire in style!
For our Grand National 2023 Tips, we will pick the runners we think can run a great race on April 15th 2023. We’ll also add in a few Grand National tips from the top pundits and tipsters around the UK and Ireland.
NOBLE YEATS
Picking last year’s winner may seem like an easy choice but so few horses win back-to-races that usually it’s better to steer clear. However, Noble Yeats has already won the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree this season so he clearly loves the course.
NO: 2 | FORM: -P1134 | AGE: 8 | WEIGHT: 11-11 | JOCKEY: Sean Bowen | TRAINER: E. Mullins
DELTA WORK
Finished third in the race last year and has just won the Glenfarclas Chase at Cheltenham for the second year in a row. If he can dig deep, while carrying 5lbs less, he really is in with a shot in 2023.
NO: 7 | FORM: 3-1361 | AGE: 10 | WEIGHT: 11-04 | JOCKEY: Keith Donoghue | TRAINER: G. Elliott
GAILLARD DU MESNIL
If there’s one horse in the 2023 Grand National who needs to defy all the stats to win, it’s Gaillard Du Mesnil. He’s a grey 7-year-old, who has never run at Aintree but he’s also a cracker of a horse from Willie Mullins. He has never finished outside of the money, has just won over 3m6f at Cheltenham and with Paul Townend on board, is the one to watch.
NO: 13 | FORM: 3-2131 | AGE: 7 | WEIGHT: 11-00 | JOCKEY: Paul Townend | TRAINER: W. Mullins
COKO BEACH
Hard to overlook a horse that has already run and completed a Grand National. Finished 8th last year when he was only 7-years-old. While he may have been a long way off the winner, he’s on good form this season and recently won at Punchestown in the Irish Grand National Trial. The softer ground will really suit him.
NO: 11 | FORM: 8-9441 | AGE: 8 | WEIGHT: 11-00 | JOCKEY: Harry Cobden | TRAINER: G. Elliott
BACK ON THE LASH
A cross-country specialist who should have no problems with the fences and distance. He’ll carry one of the lightest loads in the race which will be a huge advantage. He’s the kind of horse to give each-way backers plenty to cheer.
NO: 39 | FORM: -9231P | AGE: 9 | WEIGHT: 10-02 | JOCKEY: Adam Wedge | TRAINER: M. Keighley
EVA’S OSKAR
Another grey in my tips, and this time it is Eva’s Oskar who has been largely overlooked. Despite the long odds, this chaser is more than capable of going the distance, and was 4th last time out at Newcastle in the Eider Chase (4m1f), on top weight. Carrying nearly two stone less at Aintree will be a big help as long as the going isn’t too soft.
NO: 34 | FORM: -62164 | AGE: 9 | WEIGHT: 10-02 | JOCKEY: Alan Johns | TRAINER: T. Vaughan
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Unlikely to mount a serious challenge.
Could place with a slice of luck.
A strong eachway chance and could even win it.
Non Runner Money Back odds listed on this page are taken from Paddy Power on 15/04/2023. Check the odds with your Bookmaker before placing a bet as fluctuations can occur. Full Terms and Conditions for the promotional bet offers can be found on the respective websites – please read them before signing up.
WHO WILL WIN?
Who will win the 2023 Grand National? It’s the question we’re all asking, and without the aid of a crystal ball we’re all forced to study the form, statistics and trends to help us find the winner.
Grand National winners, and those horses who place, generally fall into certain trends. I look at those trends and rule out those who don’t quite fit the criteria although I always tip one or two outsiders who have the potential to defy the odds.
On this page we will feature the horses who we think can run a big race. For now though it’s too early to speculate so come back closer to the time!
KARL HEDLEY - TIPSTER
Delta Work
Gaillard Du Mesnil
The Big Dog
Le Milos
TEMPLEGATE - THE SUN
Gaillard Du Mesnil
Delta Work
Noble Yeats
Capodanno
ED CHAMBERLIN - TELEGRAPH
Longhouse Poet
Hill Sixteen
Ain’t That A Shame
Lifetime Ambition
RUBY WALSH
Any Second Now (each way)
Le Milos (each way)
Velvet Elvis (each way)
FRANK HICKEY - PADDY POWER
Roi Mage
Velvet Elvis
Gaillard Du Mesnil
The Big Breakaway
Delta Work
SAM TURNER - DAILY MAIL
Le Milos
Corach Rambler
Noble Yeats
Our Power
Tom Segal - Racing Post
The Big Dog
Mr Incredible
PAUL KEALY - RACING POST
Capodanno
Le Milos
Finding A Winner
Here you can read a little more about how we narrow down the field of runners to find a potential winner. That’s not to say that finding the winner is easy, the race still remains one of the most open contests in sport. But with the application of statistics and trends we can discount runners who don’t fit into the historical winners profile. Usually this leaves use with a shortlist of 10 or fewer horses who have the ‘right stuff’ to win at Aintree.
Age
The first criteria is the Runner’s age. The Aintree Grand National fences require a level of maturity from the horses that usually comes with age and experience. So first off, eliminate all of those horses that are younger than eight or older than 10 years of age. Six of the last 10 winners have come from this age group, with only Noble Yeats the most recent to buck the trend. Last time an 11-year-old won was in 2014.
Weight
The handicap system is designed to give every horse a fair crack at winning the race. Good horses will carry more weight than those perceived to have less ability. Historically horses carrying over 11 stone 3 pounds have struggled to overcome this handicap. Only four horses in the last 20 years have managed it and they were Tiger Roll in 2019, Many Clouds in 2015, Neptune Collonges in 2012 and Don’t Push It in 2010.
In fact, 7 of the last 10 winners have weighed 10-13 or less so before you place a bet, bare that in mind when you’re trying to reduce your selections.
Aintree Factor
It really does help if the horse you have backed has previously run and done well at Aintree, preferably over the Grand National Fences. So whether they’ve run the race in the past or taken part in the Becher Chase or the Topham Chase, if they’ve successfully navigated the course and finished the race then it proves they have the jumping ability to make it around again.
Form
When it comes to form, you need to look closely at how a horse has been performing for the last couple of seasons. Those who consistently get pulled up, fall, unseat their riders or refuse need to be taken out of the equation. The 2014 winner, Pineau De Re had only fallen once in the two years prior to his big win and had never pulled up, refused or unseated his jockey at any point in his entire career.
Battlegroup, on the other hand, had Refused and Pulled-Up twice in his three races immediately prior to the National. So it wasn’t surprising news when he refused to race in the 2014 Grand National. He planted his feet at the starting line and wouldn’t budge! A huge disappointment for all those who backed him.
