#Any Second Now

The 2023 Grand National is just over three months away and there have already been plenty of form pointers for the big race. Last year's winner Noble Yeats is the favourite in the latest Grand National odds after winning two of his three outings this season. However, with the handicapper likely to saddle the eight-year-old with a big weight, he may…

In his last ever race, Sam Waley-Cohen won the 2022 Grand National in stunning fashion after being placed at 50/1 to win. The retiring amateur jockey defied the odds riding Noble Yeats across the line at Aintree. After announcing his retirement from racing on Thursday, the 39-year-old has ended his career in perfect fashion. Any Second Now, the…

Picking up from my last column to cover the remainder of the holiday program (December 28 to January 1) in what was the busiest post-Boxing Day period for some time, the narrative seemed to me more of the same - some horses enhanced their reputations, a bigger number diminished theirs, and a standout performance to breathe new life into some…

Reverting to hurdles having been highly tried as a novice chaser last season, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old was soon in an early advantage and it was one he would not relinquish. A trait of his time over fences was that he raced keenly, sometimes too keenly for his own good, and while he was racing enthusiastically for Paul Townend, the…

Saturday sees the 174th running of the Grand National at Aintree. The Charlie Longsdon-trained Snow Leopardess heads the betting but here we run through the entire field, in order of allotted weight. 1) MINELLA TIMES (Henry de Bromhead) Rating (out of 10) 6, weight 11st 10lbs Created history for Rachael Blackmore last year but he has only run twice…

The world's most prestigious horse race returns to our screens on Saturday evening as the eagerly-anticipated Grand National takes place at Aintree. With the cancellation of last year's race due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been a full two years since race fans were able to watch the most anticipated race of the year. Last…

Rachael Blackmore will be hoping to write another chapter in her incredible racing career as she gears up for this year's Grand National. The 32-year-old made history last year, becoming the first female to win the world's most notorious steeplechase with Minella Times and the duo are back this year to retain their crown. Fresh from her Cheltenham…

The Randox Grand National is underway and racegoers have returned to the world's greatest steeplechase for the first time in three years. Punters have not been at Aintree to cheer on the Grand National runners since 2019, after the race meet was cancelled in 2020 and held behind closed doors last year. They braved rain and chilly temperatures on…

The weights for the 2022 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse have risen by 5lbs after the top three in the handicap - Galvin, Conflated and Melon - were taken out at the latest scratchings' stage. There are now 78 entries remaining, with Henry De Bromhead's Chris's Dream now topping the weights at 11st10lb, for the Aintree showpiece on…

Well two for Paul Nicholls and with neither Nicky Henderson or the Ditcheat maestro having runners in the feature - he looks firm favourite to take a 13th Trainers' Championship. We had a winner for Ireland - one for Scotland - and one for Wales... Make sure you join Andy Jones and myself for all of the action tomorrow from 10am. The feature race…

It was a whirlwind half hour for Christian Williams as he followed up his Eider Chase success at Newcastle with a one-two in the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton. Before that, though, Knight Salute impressively maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles when justifying 15-8 favouritism in the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, his third Grade 2…

Blackmore heads to Aintree on a high after winning last week's Cheltenham Gold Cup on A Plus Tard. Trainer Henry de Bromhead plans to run 2021 big race hero Minella Times Jockey Rachael Blackmore made history on Minella Times in the 2021 Grand National at Aintree Rachael Blackmore was the toast of Aintree when she became the first female jockey to…

The Grand National Festival ends with the world-famous steeplechase today. The three-day race meeting at Aintree began on Thursday, continued on Friday with Ladies Day and will culminate for another year today. Come 5.15 pm on Saturday there will be 70000 on the racecourse for the Grand National and 500 million people watching the racing across the…

The 2022 Grand National will take place this weekend at Merseyside's renowned Aintree Racecourse. Known as the most famous horse racing event of the year, the anticipated occasion will see a stacked field of horses and jockeys take part in the 174th edition of the main race. Both trainers and owners will be looking to make history on the track, but…

CLOTH CAP can enhance his Randox Grand National credentials with victory in the Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (3.37pm) at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon. After some of the Grand National hopefuls from Ireland put down their case last weekend with Any Second Now narrowly beating Escaria Ten in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, some…

The Grand National isn't the most prestigious horse race in the world for nothing. It's an incredibly challenging course, featuring 30 jumps (16 fences, with 14 of those being jumped twice) on the four-mile and two and a half furlong race. But, while safety improvements have been made in recent years, the Grand National remains a challenging task…

The Randox Grand National takes centre stage on the third and final day of the Aintree Festival - and what a race we have in store. The world's greatest steeplechase is woven into the fabric of the sporting year - an occasion when once-a-year punters get to pit their wits against the bookies, while more dedicated racing fans will look at the race…

Tiger Roll has officially been ruled out of the Grand National as the dual winner was among 14 entrants to be scratched from the Aintree extravaganza on Tuesday. Owner Michael O'Leary is denying the 12-year-old a shot at equalling Red Rum's record of three victories in the world's greatest steeplechase after a row with the British handicapper over…

The 2022 Grand National is coming up this afternoon and horse-racing fans are set for the biggest day on the calendar. Minella Times with Rachael Blackmore on board claimed a historic victory at Aintree last year and she will ride the same horse once again. Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National while Henry de Bromhead…

If you cast your mind back to the cursed year that was 2020 then you'll remember the Grand National - and Tiger Roll's historic attempt to win the race three years in a row - was scrapped. A Virtual Grand National based on computer simulations was run instead, with Potters Corner emerging as the winner. Let's be honest, it wasn't quite the same…

By HRI Foreign Staff - Around the world, racing fans look to their showcase events each year. In the U.S., everyone's tongues are already wagging about the Kentucky Derby, which gets underway in May. In Australia, it's the Melbourne Cup that people are hotly anticipating. However, before those renowned races on the sporting calendar comes the Grand…

It is Grand National Day at Aintree, one of the biggest days of the year in sport. We have predictions for all six Placepot contests, including the world's most famous steeplechase at 5.15pm. Get a free placepot to use this weekend with Tote. Already got a Tote account? Take advantage of the latest Grand National betting offers for new…

The Grand National is one of the most iconic sporting events in the world and, for many, the highlight of the racing calendar. Whether you're a seasoned punter or just fancy the occasional flutter, it is often the Aintree spectacle that sees fans stick a bet on in the hope of winning themselves some money. The National is famously unpredictable,…

When the Grand National gets under way at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday all eyes will once again be on Rachael Blackmore and Minella Times. At last year's National, Blackmore made history on the gelding by becoming the first female jockey to win the world's most famous, and toughest, jumps race. The " momentous victory " saw the Irish rider's…

Randox Grand National contender Enjoy D'Allen has been snapped up by JP McManus ahead of the big race on April 9. McManus is looking for back to back wins for the green and gold silks after taking the big one at Aintree in 2021 with the Henry De, Bromhead trained Minella Times, ridden by Rachael Blackmore. The eight-year-old was a solid third to…

Racegoers have tickets for the Grand National as they return to Aintree. With 40 runners lining up, millions of punters will try to find the winner of the big betting event The Grand National is the world's most famous race, with a huge field assembling for the £1million event. A total of 40 horses will go to post for Saturday's Randox-sponsored…

Trailblazing rider Rachael Blackmore, the first female jockey to triumph, is on 2021 victor Minella Times again. And grey mare Snow Leopardess, who gave birth to a foal during a two-year break from racing, is bidding to be the first mother to win the National. A crowd of 70000 is expected as the famous race is run before spectators for the first…

The Grand National took a break last year when it got replaced with a virtual event due to the rise of the ongoing global pandemic. In 2020, horse racing enthusiasts and sports bettors got deprived out of that year's instalment of the world's most famous handicap steeplechase, a race everyone has a cheeky bet on. However, this time around, there…

Today is the day! The Grand National will be run for the 174th time, with massive crowds piling into Aintree Racecourse to witness for themselves the world's most famous steeplechase. The action begins at 1.45pm, with the main event itself getting under way at 5.15pm. Last year's winning jockey Rachael Blackmore is back to defend her crown, once…

Trainer Ciaran Murphy is counting down the days to the Randox Grand National in which he saddles strong contender Enjoy D'Allen on the horse's first start in the colours of JP McManus. Murphy's runner, who he has trained for the race since finishing third in the Irish version last season, is as short as 12-1 to give him a breakthrough…