The 2022 renewal of the Grand National is edging ever closer by the day. Punters looking for a bet on Grand National will perhaps have a clearer indication of who they are going to back after the 40 runners were announced on Tuesday, but making your selections for the marathon contest can be a tough task.
There are several things you should look out for when making your picks, like age, weight and form, but a previous trip over the National fences at Aintree could prove crucial as well. Such is the gruelling nature of the Merseyside track that if a horse has proved they have the stamina and mettle to navigate it, they certainly stand a good chance.
With that in mind, we take a look at three horses who competed in last year’s behind-closed-doors race that have the potential to fare better on Saturday evening.
Any Second Now
The long-time leader in the race’s ante-post market, Any Second Now was forced to share his status as the race favourite earlier this week — with Gordon Elliott-trained Delta Work, who was a close second after infamously beating Tiger Roll in the Cheltenham Cross Country Chase,joining him at the fore of the market, before Snow Leopardess was backed into 8/1 from 14s.
Still, there’s something that the Ted Walsh-trained horse has that his fellow favourites don’t — experience in the National itself. The 10-year-old was third last year, a fair reflection on his 15/2 odds, and he’s coming back to Aintree with a great chance of bettering that this year. A win in the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase last time out perhaps indicates he will fare better this year, but he will have a lot more weight to carry.
Burrows Saint
Despite all his success in National Hunt racing, including a huge 88 wins at the Cheltenham Festival, Willie Mullins has managed just one Grand National victory during his glittering career as a trainer — and that was almost 20 years ago, when a young Ruby Walsh successfully guided the Trevor Hemmings-owned Hedgehunter around the National course in 2005.
Burrows Saint was fourth from 9/1 last year, and despite heading into to Aintree this year as a much longer 20/1 chance, the nine-year-old has actually had a good season thus far — placing in all three of his outings, including in the New Year’s Day at Tramore, where he was behind only Al Boum Photo, and third in the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase.
Off the same weight this year, rarely recording finishes outside the top four and with Grand National experience, Burrows Saint has got to be a good each-way option at seemingly generous odds of 20/1.
Cloth Cap
Last year’s favourite, setting off at 11/2, Cloth Cap is another horse set to have a second crack at the National this year. The Hemmings-owned horse was prominent for much of last year’s contest, but a stumble four out meant he lost second and he very quickly weakened before being pulled by Tom Scudamore after making a nose prior to the third-last.
The 10-year-old underwent wind surgery shortly after and has appeared four times this season — finishing fourth on his reappearance at Cheltenham, sixth next time out and refusing the final fence while in the lead at Ascot in December.
A third-place finish at Doncaster last month is more convincing, and a pound of his mark could help, but it’s hard to see Cloth Cap landing an historic fourth victory for the late Sir Trevor Hemmings on Saturday evening.
