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It’s getting to that time of year again when many people in the UK begin to get excited about the biggest single gambling event the country has to offer. That is the Grand National.
More than £150million is gambled on the big race by UK punters alone each year, with millions more being gambled around the world as the race is broadcast live to so many people in so many countries.
The race is probably the most famous single horse race in the world. It’s most certainly the world’s best-known jump race and the stories associated with the race down the years are legend. Indeed, the race has been immortalised in movies on two separate occasions.
Firstly, in 1944, the movie “National Velvet” launched the career of the then 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor. After that, the story of the 1981 winner Aldaniti’s was very well told in 1983 in the movie “Champions”, starring John Hurt. The film tells the true story of the horse’s recovery from a life-threatening injury and jockey Bob Champions’ seemingly miraculous recovery from testicular cancer.
The winner of the Grand National always seems to have some kind of magical tale attached to it. But finding the winner well before the Grand National is run is the key to success for gamblers, so students of form this year will note that Carlito Brigante, for example, is making the race his target.
Why is this kind of thing relevant? Well, the fact is that ante-post bets a couple of months in advance of the race are generally available at much bigger odds than any horse on the day. But you run the risk that the horse may not run in which case your bet is forfeited. So, the news that a horse’s connections are making the Grand National their target can be very helpful.
Of course, this is no guarantee as anything can happen. It is also not any kind of recommendation for this particular horse. The market may disagree with your own judgement or the horse may be injured between now and the race. But the knowledge still helps with the possibility of finding a runner at big odds, with all the excitement that brings on the day.
Nevertheless, the Grand National really doesn’t need any more excitement. It’s already the most thrilling jumps race the world has to offer. Run or four-and-a-half miles at Aintree racecourse near Liverpool, the race is a handicap and includes some of the most famous fences in the world. These include Becher’s Brook, the Canal Turn, Valentine’s Brook and The Chair. The race is run over two circuits of the famous old course and has been run there since 1839 when the appropriately named “Lottery” won the inaugural event. The last two fences of the first circuit, however, the Chair and the Water Jump are only jumped once. That is because, after the second circuit, there is the long and testing run-in which has seen many heartbreaks and much jubilation over the years.
The most famous horse ever to have run in the Grand National is, of course, the legendary Red Rum. Red Rum ran in the race on five consecutive occasions between 1973 and 1977. He won his first two, then came second twice, then won his fifth and last National in 1977 aged 12. This was an utterly astounding feat, particularly when you consider that the race is a handicap, which will surely never be matched.
Today, Red Rum is buried next to the winning post at Aintree. That is a fitting tribute to the greatest Grand National horse of them all. This year’s race will be held on April 11th. As ever, it’s one not to miss.
by Paolo Camera
