The Grand National takes place at the iconic Aintree Racecourse in April each year. Considered the ultimate test for horse and jockey, the Grand National attracts bettors who rarely take much notice of horse racing. Hundreds of millions of people watch the race, which has been broadcast on free-to-air TV in the UK since 1960.
Grand National 2023: Schedule
The Grand National is the highlight of Aintree’s Grand National Festival, which runs from Thursday April 13 until Saturday April 15. The main race takes place on Saturday at 17:15, but the festival plays host to three days of top quality racing. The schedule is as follows:
Thursday April 13th Randox Opening Day
Opening Ceremony
13:45 The SSS Super Alloys Manifesto Novices’ Steeple Chase
14:20 The Doom Bar Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle
14:50 The Betway Bowl Steeple Chase
15:25 The Betway Aintree Hurdle
16:05 The Rose Paterson Randox Health Foxhunters’ Steeple Chase
16:40 The Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Steeple Chase
17:15 The Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat
Thursday April 14th Randox Ladies Day
13:45 The Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle
14:20 The Betway Top Novices’ Hurdle
14:50 The Betway Mildmay Novices’ Steeple Chase
15:25 The Marsh Steeple Chase (Registered as the Melling)
16:05 The Randox Health Topham Steeple Chase
16:40 The Doom Bar Sefton Novices’ Hurdle
17:15 The Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle
Saturday April 15th Randox Grand National Day
13:45 Horse Racing The EFT Systems Handicap Hurdle
14:25 Horse Racing The Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle
15:00 Horse Racing The Doom Bar Maghull Novices’ Steeple Chase
15:35 Horse Racing The Ryanair Stayers’ Hurdle (Registered as the Liverpool Hurdle)
16:15 Horse Racing The Betway Handicap Steeple Chase
17:15 Horse Racing The Randox Grand National Steeple Chase
18:20 Horse Racing The Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race
Grand National: Can Cheltenham’s top performers challenge at Aintree?
A big question among punters is whether the top performing horses at the Cheltenham Festival can still be at their peak to challenge in the National. There are three weeks between the two events and with fields at the two meetings stacked with quality it takes a high class, well trained horse to still be on top form and be fully recovered.
Over the last decade 21 winners (20 placed) from 71 runners (29.58%) followed up with a win at Aintree after a victory at the Cheltenham Festival.
Top Grand National Trainers
The following trainers have enjoyed success at the Grand National Festival over the last ten years:
Nicky Henderson: 8 winners from 201 runners
Paul Nicholls: 16 winners from 196 runners
Colin Tizzard: 14 winners from 78 runners
Willie Mullins: 14 winners from 94 runners
Top Grand National Jockeys
The top Grand National Festival Jockeys over the last decade are:
Nico de Boinville: 8 winners
Harry Cobden: 8 winners
Robbie Power: 8 winners
Grand National 2023: Entries and Weights
All 50 remaining entries for the Grand National at Aintree on 15 April are listed below. A maximum of the 40 top-rated horses will actiually line up on the day of the race.
1) Any Second Now (IRE) 11 11-12 Ted Walsh IRE
2) Noble Yeats (IRE) 8 11-11 Emmet Mullins IRE
3) Galvin (IRE) 9 11-11 Gordon Elliott IRE
4) Fury Road (IRE) 9 11-6 Gordon Elliott IRE
5) The Big Dog (IRE) 10 11-5 Peter Fahey IRE
6) Capodanno (FR) 7 11-5 Willie Mullins IRE
7) Delta Work (FR) 10 11-4 Gordon Elliott IRE
8) Sam Brown 11 11-4 Anthony Honeyball
9) Lifetime Ambition (IRE) 8 11-3 Jessica Harrington IRE
10) Carefully Selected (IRE) 11 11-1 Willie Mullins IRE
11) Coko Beach (FR) 8 11-0 Gordon Elliott IRE
12) Longhouse Poet (IRE) 9 11-0 Martin Brassil IRE
13) Gaillard du Mesnil (FR) 7 11-0 Willie Mullins IRE
14) Darasso (FR) 10 10-13 Joseph O’Brien IRE
15) Le Milos 8 10-11 Dan Skelton
16) Escaria Ten (FR) 9 10-10 Gordon Elliott IRE
17) The Big Breakaway (IRE) 8 10-10 Joe Tizzard
18) Cape Gentleman (IRE) 7 10-8 John Hanlon IRE
19) Roi Mage (FR) 11 10-8 Patrick Griffin IRE
20) Diol Ker (FR) 9 10-8 Noel Meade IRE
21) A Wave of The Sea (IRE) 7 10-6 Joseph O’Brien IRE
22) Minella Trump (IRE) 9 10-6 Donald McCain
23) Vanillier (FR) 8 10-6 Gavin Cromwell IRE
24) Velvet Elvis (IRE) 7 10-6 Thomas Gibney IRE
25) Ain’t That A Shame (IRE) 9 10-5 Henry de Bromhead IRE
26) Corach Rambler (IRE) 9 10-5 Lucinda Russell
27) Enjoy d’Allen (FR) 9 10-5 Ciaran Murphy IRE
28) Mr Incredible (IRE) 7 10-4 Willie Mullins IRE
29) Mister Coffey (FR) 8 10-4 Nicky Henderson
30) Cloudy Glen (IRE) 10 10-4 Venetia Williams
31) Hill Sixteen 10 10-2 Sandy Thomson
32) Gabbys Cross (IRE) 8 10-2 Henry de Bromhead IRE
33) Recite A Prayer (IRE) 8 10-1 Willie Mullins IRE
34) Eva’s Oskar (IRE) 9 10-1 S Tim Vaughan
35) Our Power (IRE) 8 10-0 Sam Thomas
36) Dunboyne (IRE) 8 10-0 Gordon Elliott IRE
37) Francky du Berlais (FR) 10 10-0 Peter Bowen
38) Fortescue 9 9-13 Henry Daly
39) Back On The Lash 9 9-13 Martin Keighley
40) Defi Bleu (FR) 10 9-12 Gordon Elliott IRE
41) Gevrey (FR) 7 9-10 Gordon Elliott IRE
42) Punitive (IRE) 9 9-10 Gordon Elliott IRE
43) Milan Native (IRE) 10 9-10 Gordon Elliott IRE
44) Born By The Sea (IRE) 9 9-10 John Gilligan IRE
45) Fakiera (FR) 8 9-8 Gordon Elliott IRE
46) Mortal (IRE) 11 9-8 Mr A. Dunlop Gordon Elliott IRE
47) Darrens Hope (IRE) 9 9-8 Robert Murphy IRE
48) Captain Cattistock 10 9-5 Fergal O’Brien
49) Secret Reprieve (IRE) 9 9-5 Evan Williams
50) Fantastikas (FR) 8 9-5 Nigel Twiston-Davies
The following seven entries were scratched at the latest entry stage: Battleoverdoyen, Captain Kangaroo, Envoi Allen, Gin On Lime, Quick Wave, Royale Pagaille, and The Shunter.
Who are the favourites for the 2023 Grand National?
The latest odds for the Grand National are as follows:
| Corach Rambler | 13/2 | William Hill/BetUK |
| Nobel Yeats | 8/1 | William Hill/bet365/BetVictor/Betfair/Paddy Power/Betfred/ BoyleSports/Coral/Ladbrokes/10bet/BetUK/Unibet/Betway |
| Delta Work | 10/1 | bet365/SkyBet |
| Mr Incredible | 14/1 | bet365/Betfred/BetUK/Unibet/Coral/Ladbrokes/William Hill/ Betway |
| Gaillard Du Mesni | 14/1 | bet365/William Hill/BetUK |
| Longhouse Poet | 16/1 | William Hill/BetUK/Coral |
| Any Second Now | 16/1 | William Hill |
| Le Milos | 16/1 | bet365/William Hill/10bet/BoyleSports |
| Our Power | 20/1 | William Hill/bet365/BetVictor/Betfair/Paddy Power/Betfred/ BoyleSports/Coral/Ladbrokes/10bet/BetUK/Unibet/Betway |
| Galvin | 20/1 | William Hill/bet365/BetVictor/Betfair/Paddy Power/ BoyleSport/10bet/BetUK/Unibet |
Scottish trainer Lucinda Russell is delighted with favourite Corach Rambler’s Grand National preparation.
The nine-year-old became the fourth back-to-back winner of the Cheltenham Festival’s Handicap Chase in March.
Russell stated that after Cheltenham the emphasis for Corach Rambler had been on recovery before sharpening him up for Aintree. Russell is the partner of National Hunt legend Peter Scudamore and the eight-time champion jockey has been riding Corach Rambler every day.
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