Following the somewhat chaotic announcement of the Grand National weights Blaklion, compared to the incomparable Red Rum by trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, remains favourite for April’s Aintree showpiece though there has been serious support for Willie Mullins’ Total Recall.
Willie Mullins’ stayer, now only a best 20/1 with Unibet, is unbeaten so far this season. But Blaklion’s odds, a general 10/1, will contract further if he wins this Saturday’s Grand National Trial at Haydock, which we will be previewing fully in the next 48 hours. Twiston-Davies has won the Grand National twice before and his charge has already jumped twice around Aintree’s big fences without making a semblance of a mistake. However, it may not be the fences that stop the nine-year-old. He isn’t a big horse and will have to carry at least 11st 6lb. Red Rum, of course, regularly used to carry 12st but he was an anomaly.
Grand National 2018 Weights
1) DEFINITLY RED (IRE) 9 11-10 165 Phil & Julie Martin, Brian Ellison
2) BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) 7 11-09 164 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Nigel Twiston-Davies
3) EDWULF 9 11-09 164 J P McManus, Joseph O’Brien IRE
4) OUTLANDER (IRE) 10 11-08 163 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
5) MINELLA ROCCO (IRE) 8 11-07 162 J P McManus, Jonjo O’Neill
6) BLAKLION 9 11-06 161 Simon Such & Gino Paletta, Nigel Twiston-Davies
7) SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE) 9 11-05 160 Gigginstown House Stud, Henry de Bromhead IRE
8) ANIBALE FLY (FR) 8 11-04 159 J P McManus, Tony Martin IRE
9) THE LAST SAMURI (IRE) 10 11-04 159 Paul & Clare Rooney, Kim Bailey
10) MALA BEACH (IRE) 10 11-03 158 Chris Jones, Gordon Elliott IRE
11) VALSEUR LIDO (FR) 9 11-03 158 Gigginstown House Stud, Henry de Bromhead IRE
12) AMERICAN (FR) 8 11-02 157 The Jago Family Partnership, Harry Fry
13) TOTAL RECALL (IRE) 9 11-01 156 Slaneyville Syndicate, Willie Mullins IRE
14) ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) 8 11-00 155 Gigginstown House Stud, Mouse Morris IRE
15) GOLD PRESENT (IRE) 8 11-00 155 John & Barbara Cotton, Nicky Henderson
16) NOBLE ENDEAVOR (IRE) 9 10-13 154 Chris Jones, Gordon Elliott IRE
17) PERFECT CANDIDATE (IRE) 11 10-13 154 ISL Recruitment, Fergal O’Brien
18) SIZING CODELCO (IRE) 9 10-13 154 Ann & Alan Potts Limited, Colin Tizzard
19) CAUSE OF CAUSES (USA) 10 10-12 153 J P McManus, Gordon Elliott IRE
20) SHANTOU FLYER (IRE) 8 10-12 153 Carl Hinchy, Richard Hobson
21) CARLINGFORD LOUGH (IRE) 12 10-11 152 J P McManus, John Kiely IRE
22) O O SEVEN (IRE) 8 10-11 152 Christopher Hanbury, Nicky Henderson
23) TENOR NIVERNAIS (FR) 11 10-11 152 Boultbee Brooks Ltd, Venetia Williams
24) GO CONQUER (IRE) 9 10-10 151 Paul & Clare Rooney, Jonjo O’Neill
25) TRAFFIC FLUIDE (FR) 8 10-10 151 Galloping On The South Downs Partnership, Gary Moore
26) VICENTE (FR) 9 10-10 151 Trevor Hemmings, Paul Nicholls
27) ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR) 8 10-09 150 Slaneyville Syndicate, Willie Mullins IRE
28) RATHVINDEN (IRE) 10 10-09 150 Ronnie Bartlett, Willie Mullins IRE
29) REGAL ENCORE (IRE) 10 10-09 150 J P McManus, Anthony Honeyball
30) TIGER ROLL (IRE) 8 10-09 150 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
31) VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) 9 10-09 150 Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent, David Pipe
32) A GENIE IN ABOTTLE (IRE) 7 10-08 149 Gigginstown House Stud, Noel Meade IRE
33) AS DE MEE (FR) 8 10-08 149 The Stewart Family & Judi Dench, Paul Nicholls
34) CHASE THE SPUD 10 10-08 149 Christine Banks, Fergal O’Brien
35) ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE) 8 10-08 149 Diana Whateley, Philip Hobbs
36) SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT 10 10-08 149 Quona Thomson, Sandy Thomson
37) WARRIORS TALE 9 10-08 149 Michelle & Dan Macdonald, Paul Nicholls
38) BELLSHILL (IRE) 8 10-07 148 Andrea & Graham Wylie, Willie Mullins IRE
39) FLYING ANGEL (IRE) 7 10-07 148 Rob Rexton, Nigel Twiston-Davies
40) GAS LINE BOY (IRE) 12 10-07 148 The Three Graces, Ian Williams
41) PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE) 10 10-07 148 Malcolm C Denmark, Willie Mullins IRE
42) THE DUTCHMAN (IRE) 8 10-07 148 SprayClad UK, Colin Tizzard
43) BEEVES (IRE) 11 10-06 147 Paul & Clare Rooney, Jennie Candlish
44) SAINT ARE (FR) 12 10-06 147 David Fox, Tom George
45) UCELLO CONTI (FR) 10 10-06 147 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Gordon Elliott IRE
46) VYTA DU ROC (FR) 9 10-06 147 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Nicky Henderson
47) CAROLE’S DESTRIER 10 10-05 146 Carole Skipworth, Neil Mulholland
48) LONG HOUSE HALL (IRE) 10 10-05 146 Carl Hinchy, Dan Skelton
49) POLIDAM (FR) 9 10-05 146 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, Willie Mullins IRE
50) RAZ DE MAREE (FR) 13 10-05 146 James Swan Gavin Cromwell IRE
51) ABOLITIONIST (IRE) 10 10-04 145 Mark Albon, John Provan & Chris Stedman Dr Richard Newland
52) BAIE DES ILES (FR) 7 10-04 145 Zorka Wentworth, Ross O’Sullivan IRE
53) BUYWISE (IRE) 11 10-04 145 T Hywel Jones, Evan Williams
54) CHILDRENS LIST (IRE) 8 10-04 145 Susannah Ricci, Willie Mullins IRE
55) I JUST KNOW (IRE) 8 10-04 145 M B Scholey & the late R H Scholey, Sue Smith
56) MAGGIO (FR) 13 10-04 145 Douglas Pryde/James Beaumont, Patrick Griffin IRE
57) PENDRA (IRE) 10 10-04 145 J P McManus, Charlie Longsdon
58) VIRGILIO (FR) 9 10-04 145 C J Edwards, D Futter, A H Rushworth, Dan Skelton
59) CAPTAIN REDBEARD (IRE) 9 10-03 144 Stuart Coltherd, Stuart Coltherd
60) HOUBLON DES OBEAUX (FR) 11 10-03 144 Mrs Julian Blackwell, Venetia Williams
61) LORD WINDERMERE (IRE) 12 10-03 144 Dr Ronan Lambe, Jim Culloty IRE
62) SILSOL (GER) 9 10-03 144 Michelle & Dan Macdonald, Paul Nicholls
63) THIRD INTENTION (IRE) 11 10-03 144 Robert & Sarah Tizzard, Colin Tizzard
64) THREE FACES WEST (IRE) 10 10-03 144 Paul & Clare Rooney, Philip Hobbs
65) WILD WEST WIND (IRE) 9 10-03 144 Simon Clarke, Tom George
66) BLESS THE WINGS (IRE) 13 10-02 143 Adrian Butler & S P O’Connor, Gordon Elliott IRE
67) DOUBLE ROSS (IRE) 12 10-02 143 Options O Syndicate, Nigel Twiston-Davies
68) FINAL NUDGE (IRE) 9 10-02 143 Corbett Stud, David Dennis
69) MILANSBAR (IRE) 11 10-02 143 Robert Bothway, Neil King
70) MORNING ASSEMBLY (IRE) 11 10-02 143 Clipper Logistics Group Ltd, Pat Fahy IRE
71) DELUSIONOFGRANDEUR (IRE) 8 10-01 142 McGoldrick Racing 3, Sue Smith
72) ROAD TO RICHES (IRE) 11 10-01 142 Gigginstown House Stud, Noel Meade IRE
73) THUNDER AND ROSES (IRE) 10 10-01 142 Gigginstown House Stud, Mouse Morris IRE
74) SAMETEGAL (FR) 9 10-00 141 John & Barbara Cotton, Paul Nicholls
75) VINTAGE CLOUDS (IRE) 8 10-00 141 Trevor Hemmings, Sue Smith
76) WALK IN THE MILL (FR) 8 10-00 141 Baroness Harding, Robert Walford
77) GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) 9 9-12 139 Gigginstown House Stud, Gordon Elliott IRE
78) VIC DE TOUZAINE (FR) 9 9-12 139 Andrew Brooks & G Moore, Venetia Williams
79) VIEUX MORVAN (FR) 9 9-12 139 M L Bloodstock, Joseph O’Brien IRE
80) WOUNDED WARRIOR (IRE) 9 9-12 139 Gigginstown House Stud, Noel Meade IRE
81) ARBRE DE VIE (FR) 8 9-11 138 Susannah Ricci, Willie Mullins IRE
82) BALLYALTON (IRE) 11 9-11 138 John Westwood, Ian Williams
83) BONNY KATE (IRE) 8 9-11 138 Patricia Hunt, Noel Meade IRE
84) COGRY 9 9-11 138 Graham & Alison Jelley, Nigel Twiston-Davies
85) MISSED APPROACH (IRE) 8 9-11 138 Alan & Andrew Turner, Warren Greatrex
86) MYSTEREE (IRE) 10 9-11 138 Mrs Lynne Maclennan, Michael Scudamore
87) SIR MANGAN (IRE) 10 9-11 138 Frank McAleavy, Dan Skelton
88) SPLASH OF GINGE 10 9-11 138 John Neild, Nigel Twiston-Davies
89) BRAQUEUR D’OR (FR) 7 9-10 137 Corsellis & Seyfried, Paul Nicholls
90) MINELLA DADDY (IRE) 8 9-10 137 Roddy Owen & Paul Fullagar, Peter Bowen
91) PAIROFBROWNEYES (IRE) 9 9-10 137 Fibbage Syndicate, Willie Mullins IRE
92) RELENTLESS DREAMER (IRE) 9 9-10 137 Nigel Morris, Rebecca Curtis
93) KNOCK HOUSE (IRE) 9 9-09 136 Tim Leslie, Donald McCain
94) THE YOUNG MASTER 9 9-08 135 Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters, Neil Mulholland
95) ALFIE SPINNER (IRE) 13 9-06 133 Alan Beard & Brian Beard, Kerry Lee
96) HENRI PARRY MORGAN 10 9-06 133 Ednyfed & Elizabeth Morgan, Peter Bowen
97) PHIL’S MAGIC (IRE) 8 9-06 133 Lyreen Syndicate, Tony Martin IRE
98) BRAVISSIMO (FR) 7 9-05 132 Susannah Ricci, Willie Mullins IRE
99) DANCING SHADOW (IRE) 9 9-05 132 The Dancing Shadows, Victor Dartnall
100) ROGUE ANGEL (IRE) 10 9-05 132 Gigginstown House Stud, Mouse Morris IRE
101) THEBARROWMAN (IRE) 8 9-04 131 D Keys, Adrian Keatley IRE
102) OUT SAM 9 9-03 130 D Charlesworth, Gordon Elliott IRE
103) KRACKATOA KING 10 9-00 127 JC Harrison Lee & T Howard Partnership, Kerry Lee
Champion trainer Nicky Henderson is hoping that Gold Present is the chaser that finally wins him that first Grand National. A general 25/1 having won both starts this season at Newbury and Ascot, he did fall in the Topham at Aintree last year however.
Otherwise, many of those prominent in the betting are proven over the Grand National fences. The Last Samuri, still 10lb higher than when runner-up in 2016, is a general 20/1 with recent form tied in closely with the likes of Blaklion and recent Cheltenham winner Definitly Red, who started second favourite last year but was hampered in the early stages and eventually pulled up. Brian Ellison’s charge is due to carry top weight this time.
Last year’s second Cause Of Causes is a general 25/1 but, at the weights and current odds, I’d be more interested in another Gordon Elliott-trained runner – General Principle – who has been brought along quietly this season and is available at 100/1 with Unibet. Sue Smith’s progressive stayer I Just Know can also be backed at 100/1 with Sportingbet.
