The two French threats at this year’s Grand National

With Irish-bred horses dominating the Grand National for nearly a decade, there will be a number of trainers from Great Britain and France who will be hoping their thoroughbreds can defy the horse racing betting odds and upset the applecart at National Hunt racing’s preeminent fixture at Aintree later this month.

It will prove a very difficult task, with the two favourites to take home the spoils in the £1,000,000 race in Corach Rambler and Noble Yeats both Irish thoroughbreds. When looking at the betting lines, it appears as though it will be a French horse who will be the most likely challenger – and with that in mind – read on as we dissect the horses hailing from France who are the strongest chances of delivering the European nation with its first Grand National winner since Pineau De Re achieved the feat in 2014.

Gaillard Du Mesnil

With two wins, a second place and third place in his last four starts, French thoroughbred Gaillard Du Mesnil has looked impressive across varying distances so far this season. The seven-year-old’s second place finish came in a Grade 1 contest at Fairyhouse, in which he lost by just shy of five lengths to multiple-time Grade 1 victor Mighty Potter.

He then followed it up with a sublime performance at Leopardstown in February, getting the better of the Gordon Elliott-trained Churchstonewarrior to reign supreme by seven-and-a-half lengths.

As a result of his dominant showing, there was plenty of hype beginning to build around Gaillard Du Mesnil – and despite a relatively poor outing at the Dublin Racing Festival, in which he finished third in a field of six, the Willie Mullins horse still remained the favourite to take out the Grade 2 National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham last month.

He managed to justify those odds, albeit in less than convincing fashion, by defeating Chemical Energy by nearly three lengths. Despite the criticism Gaillard Du Mesnil faced as a result of his Prestbury Park run – if there’s a trainer who can make the necessary adjustments to ensure his horse is ready and raring to go come the Grand National – it’s Mullins.

For those who bet on Grand National and feel Gaillard Du Mesnil can improve on his Cheltenham Festival showing and secure Mullins with his second Grand National crown, he is paying 10/1 with most operators – which is good for third favourite.

Delta Work 

Entering this year’s renewal as the joint-fourth favourite in the antepost markets at 12/1, ten-year-old Delta Work is in solid form this season. After opening his campaign with a win at Punchestown, the Gordon Elliott-trained horse had a couple of less than stellar outings at Prestbury Park and Navan, finishing third and sixth respectively.

The gelding would bounce back to form in impressive fashion most recently however, dominating the field in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival to best the field by two-and-a-half lengths.

Given how well Delta Work kept on down the stretch of his aforementioned win in the three-mile and six-furlong affair at the Festival, it bodes well for his run at Aintree. The Grand National is a gruelling contest that takes place over four miles and two-and-a-half-furlongs – and as a result – Delta Work will need every ounce of his endurance and heart if he’s to finish first past the post on April 15.