Grand National 2023: Horse-by-horse guide to all the runners

Here's your pinstickers guide to Saturday's Aintree Grand National (5.15pm)

Sat, 15 Apr, 2023 - 14:48

Darren Norris

1: Any Second Now 11yrs 11st 12lb

Trainer: Ted Walsh

Jockey: Mark Walsh

Rating: 6/10

Odds: 16-1

A luckless third in 2021 before beating all bar Noble Yeats last year, his best chance of National glory has probably come and gone.

IN FULL FLIGHT: Noble Yeats & Sean Bowen win the MW Hickey Memorial Steeplechase in October. Pic: Healy Racing

2: Noble Yeats 8yrs 11st 11lb

Trainer: Emmet Mullins

Jockey: Sean Bowen

Rating: 6/10

Odds: 17-2

A trends buster when winning last year’s race as a seven-year-old, the Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth will need to defy history again off 11st 11lb.

3: Galvin 9yrs 11st 11lb

Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Jockey: Davy Russell

Rating: 6/10

Odds: 20-1

A patchy overall profile but ran well when second to Delta Work at Cheltenham last month. It would be some story if he could give Davy Russell a fairytale farewell.

4: Fury Road 9yrs 11st 6lb

Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 40-1

Third in two Leopardstown Grade Ones over three miles but there was nothing in either run to suggest a marathon trip will bring out further improvement.

5: The Big Dog 10yrs 11st 5lb

Trainer: Peter Fahey

Jockey: Aidan Coleman

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 16-1

Won the Munster National and the Troytown before finishing third in the Welsh National. Fell in the Irish Gold Cup last time out. Others preferred.

6: Capodanno 7yrs 11st 5lb

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Jockey: Danny Mullins

Rating: 7/10

Odds: 16-1

Ended last season with a Grade One success at Punchestown and shaped well in sole start this season. Lacks experience but that didn’t stop Noble Yeats. Dangerous.

GOOD FORM: Delta Work and Keith Donoghue with groom Darren Treacy after winning the Glenfarclas Chase at Cheltenham. Pic: Healy Racing Photo

7: Delta Work 10yrs 11st 4lb

Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Jockey: Keith Donoghue

Rating: 8/10

Odds: 8-1

Ran well for a long way last year before fading late on to finish third. Another bold bid is likely but the final furlong may find him out again.

8: Sam Brown 11yrs 11st 4lb

Trainer: Anthony Honeyball

Jockey: Johnny Burke

Rating 4/10

Odds: 50-1

Won the preceding handicap on this card last year and ran well when third in the Charlie Hall earlier this season. Out of sorts since though.

9: Lifetime Ambition 8yrs 11st 3lb

Trainer: Jessica Harrington

Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe

Rating 6/10

Odds: 25-1

Seemed to take to these fences when fourth in the Sefton in November and has decent form over three miles. Whether he’ll stay over a mile further is open to debate though.

10: Carefully Selected 11yrs 11st 3lbs

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Jockey: Michael O’Sullivan

Rating: 6/10

Odds: 40-1

Landed a gamble when getting the better of Dunboyne in the Thyestes in January but disappointed when fourth in the Bobbyjo Chase last time out.

11: Coko Beach 8yrs 11st 0lbs

Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Jockey: Harry Cobden

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 28-1

Ran well for a long time last year before his stamina gave out. Won well at Punchestown last time out but still has to be viewed as a suspect stayer over this marathon trip.

12: Longhouse Poet 9yrs 11st 0lbs

Trainer: Martin Brassil

Jockey: JJ Slevin

Rating: 9/10

Odds: 14-1

Ran a cracker to finish sixth last year given he ran with the choke out for much of the contest. If he relaxes in the first half of the race, he’s a massive player.

FIRST PAST THE POST: Gaillard Du Mesnil and Patrick Mullins (left) win the WellChild National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase (Grade 2) from Chemical Energy at Cheltenham. Pic: Healy Racing

13: Gaillard Du Mesnil 7yrs 11st 0lbs

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Jockey: Paul Townend

Rating: 7/10

Odds: 12-1

Got off the mark over fences at the seventh time of asking when scoring at Leopardstown at Christmas before winning the National Hunt Chase. Big threat if over Cheltenham exertions.

14: Darasso 10yrs 10st 13lb

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Jockey: Luke Dempesy

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 80-1

A consistent sort but the fact he never won beyond two and three-quarter miles is an obvious red flag. It’s hard to see him adding a Grand National to his trainer’s illustrious CV.

15: Le Milos 8yrs 10st 11lb

Trainer: Dan Skelton

Jockey: Harry Skelton

Rating 7/10

Odds: 14-1

Justified strong market confidence when winning the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November and looks well capable of putting up a big show.

16: Escaria Ten 9yrs 10st 10lb

Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Jockey: Adrian Heskin

Rating: 2/10

Odds: 80-1

Didn’t stay when fading to finish ninth in last year’s National and has shown little this season. Will do well to get round again.

17: The Big Breakaway 8yrs 10st 10lb

Trainer: Joe Tizzard

Jockey: Brendan Powell

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 33-1

Posted two cracking efforts over marathon trips when second in a valuable Haydock handicap and the Welsh National but his Cheltenham run was a big step backwards.

18: Cape Gentleman 7yrs 10st 8lb

Trainer: Shark Hanlon

Jockey: Jody McGarvey

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 80-1

Formerly with Emmet Mullins, he has shown little in two starts for his new trainer and it’s almost impossible to make a case for him playing a meaningful part here.

19: Roi Mage 11yrs 10st 8lb

Trainer: Patrick Griffin

Jockey: Felix de Giles

Rating: 4/10

Odds: 28-1

Gave Longhouse Poet plenty to think about before coming off second best at Down Royal on St Patrick’s Day but others are preferred.

20: Diol Ker 9yrs 10st 8lb

Trainer: Noel Meade

Jockey: Kieran Buckley

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 80-1

Won last year’s Leinster National at Naas but that remains his sole success in 13 runs over fences. Stamina a question mark.

21: A Wave Of The Sea 7yrs 10st 6lb

Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Jockey: Shane Fitzgerald

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 100-1

Has run well over three miles in the past but his best form is over shorter and it’s hard to see his stamina lasting home.

22: Minella Trump 9yrs 10st 6lb

Trainer: Donald McCain

Jockey: Theo Gillard

Rating: 4/10

Odds: 40-1

Won eight of his last nine races over fences but all were in small fields so a very different task awaits at Aintree. Last of seven over hurdles on recent comeback.

23: Vanillier 8yrs 10st 6lb

Trainer: Gavin Cromwell

Jockey: Sean Flanagan

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 16-1

Stamina shouldn’t be an issue for the 2021 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle hero but jumping will be. If he gets round he will be a threat but that’s a very big if.

24: Velvet Elvis 7yrs 10st 6lbs

Trainer: Thomas Gibney

Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 33-1

Comes here in decent form having finished second and first in his last two outings but this might be a year too soon and may not last home.

WELL FANCIED: Ain't That A Shame and Rachael Blackmore win the Holden Fleet Management Beginners Steeplechase in March. Pic: Healy Racing

25: Ain’t That A Shame 9yrs 10st 5lb

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead

Jockey: Rachael Blackmore

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 12-1

Got off the mark over fences at the seventh time of asking when scoring at Gowran Park last month but looks plenty short for what he has done to date.

HOME FAVOURITE: Corach Rambler ridden by Derek Fox on their way to winning the Ultima Handicap Chase during day one of the Cheltenham Festival. Pic: Nigel French/PA Wire

26: Corach Rambler 9yrs 10st 5lb

Trainer: Lucinda Russell

Jockey: Derek Fox

Rating: 7/10

Odds: 8-1

Officially 10lbs well-in, the dual Ultima Handicap Chase hero is a massive player but his hold-up style means he’ll need luck in running to prevail.

27: Enjoy D’Allen 9yrs 10st 5lb

Trainer: Ciarán Murphy

Jockey: Simon Torrens

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 66-1

Third in the 2021 Irish National, he failed to get past the first obstacle at Aintree last year and has shown little or nothing since.

28: Mr Incredible 7yrs 10st 4lb

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Jockey: Brian Hayes

Rating: 7/10

Odds: 11-1

Quirky but talented, this fella could refuse to start or bolt in, depending on what mood takes him. He’s hard to trust but dangerous to dismiss.

29: Mister Coffey 8yrs 10st 4lb

Trainer: Nicky Henderson

Jockey: Nico de Boinville

Rating: 4/10

Odds: 50-1

Nicky Henderson has famously never won the world's most famous steeplechase and it’ll rank as a massive shock if the National Hunt third ends his long wait.

30: Cloudy Glen 10yrs 10st 4lb

Trainer: Venetia Williams

Jockey: Charlie Deutsch

Rating: 4/10

Odds: 50-1

A shock winner of the 2021 Coral Gold Cup, he finished third on his first start in over a year at Haydock in February before being pulled up at the Festival.

31: Hill Sixteen 10yrs 10st 2lb

Trainer: Sandy Thomson

Jockey: Ryan Mania

Rating: 2/10

Odds: 80-1

Second over these fences in December 2021 but has shown little since. Last of 10 at Kelso last time out.

32: Gabbys Cross 8yrs 10st 2lb

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead

Jockey: Peter Carberry

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 40-1

Stamina shouldn’t be an issue for a horse who finished third in the Leinster National last time out but he shouldn’t be good enough in this company.

33: Recite A Prayer 8yrs 10st 1lb

Trainer: Willie Mullins

Jockey: Jack Foley

Rating: 4/10

Odds: 80-1

Third in the Cork National in November but, on the basis of his last two runs, he'll need more than prayers to play a part here.

34: Eva’s Oskar 9yrs 10st 1lb

Trainer: Tim Vaughan

Jockey: Alan Johns

Rating: 4/10

Odds: 40-1

Produced a career-best effort to win at Cheltenham in December but stamina limitations were seemingly exposed at Newcastle last time out.

35: Our Power 8yrs 10st 0lb

Trainer: Sam Thomas

Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies

Rating: 7/10

Odds: 20-1

Showed a good attitude when winning three-mile handicaps at Kempton and Ascot this season for a trainer who excels with staying chasers. Each-way chance.

36: Dunboyne: 8yrs 10st 0lb

Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Jockey: Jack Tudor

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 50-1

A quirky individual but he showed his best side when second to Carefully Selected in the Thyestes before finishing fourth in the Kim Muir.

37: Franky Du Berlais 10yrs 10st 0lb

Trainer: Peter Bowen

Jockey: Ben Jones

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 80-1

Ran okay for a long way in the Glenfarclas Chase at Cheltenham before refusing at the last. Highly unlikely to get the trip.

38: Fortescue 9yrs 9st 13lb

Trainer: Henry Daly

Jockey: Hugh Nugent

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 50-1

Unseated his rider when out of contention at the fourth last in 2022 and has shown little since to suggest he has improved.

39: Back On The Lash 9yrs 9st 13lb

Trainer: Martin Keighley

Jockey: Adam Wedge

Rating: 5/10

Odds: 25-1

Part-owned by Harry Redknapp, this fella should stay but the fact he was pulled up at Cheltenham last time out is an obvious negative.

40: Born By The Sea 9yrs 9st 10lb

Trainer: John Gilligan

Jockey: Phillip Enright

Rating: 3/10

Odds: 66-1

Most of his form has come over two and a half miles and his most recent effort over that trip to Cheltenham wouldn’t inspire confidence.

Verdict: Martin Brassil won the Grand National with Numbersixvalverde in 2006 and the shrewd trainer can strike again in 2023 courtesy of LONGHOUSE POET. The nine-year-old ran a shade too keen when sixth in this race last year but will be a huge player if he relaxes in the early part of the contest.

Delta Work finished in front of Longhouse Poet when third last year and has place claims again.

Capodanno lacks experience but his freshness could be an asset over this marathon trip.

Of the outnumbered home team, Coral Gold Cup victor Le Milos looks the most solid contender.