Grand National Runners & Tips: Pinstickers' Guide to 2024 Aintree field

2024 Randox Grand National

When: 4.00pm, Saturday April 13

Where: Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside

First prize: £500,000

Going: Soft

TV: ITV1 & Racing TV

Horse-by-Horse Guide

NOBLE YEATS: Comments about big weight and testing ground here too but he is of a course a National winner (2022) and stayed on into fourth in the race last year too. Harry Cobden a very positive booking, he’s been running well over hurdles of late and clearly acts around the track. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

NASSALAM: Spread-eagled his field in testing ground to win the Coral Welsh National over Christmas but was out of his depth in the Gold Cup next time. He could easily bounce back as the test should should suit him down to the ground, but he went up 16lbs for Chepstow. That doesn’t help. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

COKO BEACH: On a career-high mark but ran a cracker from it when second over these fences in the Becher Chase in December. Stamina is the worry for him too though despite an impressive win over the cross-country course at Punchestown last time out. The petrol tank emptied when he weakened into eighth under a positive ride in the 2022 National and he was pulled up last year after making several costly mistakes. Verdict: 🏆🏆

CAPODANNO: Pulled up in the race last year but that was off the back of an interrupted preparation and interesting that his top team have decided to head back again. Found the Ryanair an inadequate test of stamina but the question he has to answer is will four miles and two furlongs stretch it too far? Verdict: 🏆🏆

I AM MAXIMUS Last year’s Irish Grand National winner who warmed up for Aintree by thumping Vanillier in the Bobbyjo Chase, a race that has been a good pointer to Saturday’s showpiece in recent years. He’s a huge player if he takes to the fences but it is an 'if' as he has his own way of getting from A to B and will need to find a rhythm over the first few obstacles. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

MINELLA INDO: Former Gold Cup winner who was being prepared for the cross-country chase at Cheltenham before the monsoons of March claimed that race. He had shown a liking for the discipline when fourth under a big weight there in December which offers hope he’ll relish the National challenge but he’s 11 now, not quite the force of old, and vulnerable to less exposed rivals. Verdict: 🏆🏆

CORACH RAMBLER: He’s 13lbs higher than when winning the race last year but would have another 3lbs if Martin Greenwood was able to take another swing at him following his fine third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last time. You don’t get many back-to-back National winners but he has a lot in his favour. The only issue is his price - he’s too short. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

JANIDIL: Came in from the cold to win a Grade Two chase over two and a half miles at last year's Easter Festival at Fairyhouse but gone missing in his races again since and no real encouragement to be taken from his Stayers' Hurdle effort - in first-time cheekpieces - at Cheltenham last month. Far too many questions to answer at present. Verdict: 🏆🏆

STATTLER: Another who was cross-country bound last month but, unlike Coko Beach and Minella Indo, hadn’t looked a complete natural over those sort of fences in his sole start. Talented but would prefer better ground and not the strongest member of Team Mullins. Verdict: 🏆🏆

MAHLER MISSION: And here’s one of the those less exposed rivals. If you ask anyone, bar Patrick Mullins, he looked set to win last year’s National Hunt Chase but for falling two out and he’s been trained for this ever since. Two runs this season have been a good second to Thunder Rock over an inadequate trip at Carlisle and filling the same spot, clear of the rest, behind Datsalrightgino in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. He went down all guns blazing there despite losing both front shoes during the race and he looks a very big player on Saturday. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆🏆

DELTA WORK: Hasn’t quite enjoyed the rub of the green in two previous tilts at this event. Third behind Noble Yeats in 2022 having found himself way back after a couple of mistakes and he unseated at the 20th last year. He was impeded slightly and slithered on landing that day. Denied the chance to win a third cross-country chase last month, he arrives here fresh and a lively outsider this time around. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

FOXY JACKS: Won over the cross-country course at Cheltenham in November and stays well but he has a tendency to make a mistake or three in his races and you won’t want to be doing that at Aintree. Verdict: 🏆🏆

GALVIN: Connections worry the ground is going to be against him. He unseated Davy Russell at the first in last year’s race, the rider heading into retirement straight after. If he does get the green light to run there’ll be plenty sticking their hand to up to ride mind, his handicap mark having fallen significantly since his brief appearance last term. Verdict: 🏆🏆

FAROUK D’ALENE: His profile comment on Timeform contains the line “sketchy jumper of fences” and his recent form over the larger obstacles suggests few will put him top of their shortlist. Verdict: 🏆

ELDORADO ALLEN: A member of Team Britain but hardly had the ideal prep, pulling up in the Ultima at Cheltenham after suffering from a breathing problem. If the home guard are to fend off the Irish batallions it’s unlikely to be through him. Verdict: 🏆🏆

AIN’T THAT A SHAME: Strongly fancied in many quarters last year but didn’t seem to get home as he weakened into 17th behind Corach Rambler and co. New colours and rider this year, but the same issue likely to find him out late on. Verdict: 🏆🏆

VANILLIER: Did really well to get as close as he did when second to Corach Rambler last year and has an obvious chance from only a 4lbs higher mark. Low-key preparation for this year's race as has become the norm with so many leading fancies, and trainer Gavin Cromwell is already enjoying a tremendous season over this side of the Irish Sea. It might get even better. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆🏆

MR INCREDIBLE: Let's call him an enigma – but he’s a talented one and did nothing wrong at all under a big weight when second in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter. He’ll let his jockey, and the rest of us, know if he doesn’t fancy it on Saturday, but he’s capable of a bold show too. His saddle looked like it slipped when he unseated Brian Hayes in one of the slowest-motion National departures in Aintree history at the second Canal Turn 12 months ago. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

RUN WILD FRED: His three most recent form figures read PBP and his Timeform rating a mere '?'. Look elsewhere. Verdict: 🏆

LATENIGHTPASS: He loves this place having finished second in the 2021 Foxhunters', winning it in 2022 and then finishing fourth returned there last season. It’s the National for him this season and he could give Gina Andrews another great spin over the famous fences. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

MINELLA CROONER: Pulled up in the Ultima at Cheltenham and recent form suggests he’s happier in smaller-field graded chases than the competitive handicaps. And they don’t get any more competitive than this. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

ADAMANTLY CHOSEN: Qualified for this by winning at Down Royal last time but that was a golden opportunity for him and he has found life tough in handicaps in recent seasons. Verdict: 🏆🏆

MAC TOTTIE: Won the Topham here in 2022 and a veterans' chase over the regulation fences at Christmas. Clearly the obstacles hold no fear for him but stretching his stamina out to four and a quarter miles might. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

CHEMICAL ENERGY: Second in last year’s National Hunt Chase and still very unexposed but we haven’t seen him since September when he finished sixth in the Kerry National. Whether that’s by design I don’t know but he might be a little shy on match practice. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

LIMERICK LACE: A prolific winner and claimed her biggest success to date when beating Dinoblue in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham last month. There’s a very obvious form chance to be made for her but a less obvious one that she’s going to relish a stamina test such as this. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

MEETINGOFTHEWATERS: He will surely stay the trip and I love the way he thundered through the Ultima at Cheltenham last time before finishing third behind Chianti Classico. The way he travelled and jumped screamed Grand National, he’s only six runs into his Willie Mullins career and improving with every one, and he tops my own shortlist. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

THE GOFFER: Another for Gordon Elliott and one who caught the eye when finishing fifth in the Ultima at Cheltenham last month, the lack of a recent run seemingly catching him out after he loomed into contention turning in. He looks potentially well handicapped if taking a step forward. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆🏆

ROI MAGE: Took well to the fences last year and ran really nicely to finish seventh behind Corach Rambler but he tired late on there and Saturday’s race – with the wet spring we’ve had – will be an even sterner test of stamina. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

GLENGOULY: Still unexposed and nothing wrong with his second to Ain’t That A Shame in the Thyestes. Too keen in the Plate at Cheltenham next time and he needs to settle better on Saturday, but he is a Mullins runner who loves deep ground. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

GALIA DES LITEAUX: Has only run in one handicap and produced a tremendous effort to chase home My Silver Lining in the Classic Chase at Warwick. The winner has gone on to be placed from higher marks in the Haydock National Trial and Midlands Grand National and this mare is only up 4lbs. The Skeltons have a live one here. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆🏆

PANDA BOY: Enjoys a nice weight pull with Meetingofthewaters for his four-and-a-half length defeat at the hooves of that rival in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December, and looks to have been laid out for this. Fifth in last year’s Irish National, he remains open to improvement and is one who has to be on your radar. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆🏆

EKLAT DE RIRE: Pulled up at Cheltenham last time and overall recent record has been patchy. In excellent hands but hard to make a compelling case for him other than that. Verdict: ��

CHAMBARD: Won the Becher Chase here in December and will give Lucy Turner another great spin but you get the impression the handicapper has him exactly where he wants him now. He’ll run his race, mind. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

KITTY’S LIGHT: This is his time of year having rattled off a magnificent hat-trick last term in the Eider, Scottish National and bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. Not much to enthuse over so far this term but no surprise at all to see a revival on Saturday and would be a hugely popular winner for Christian Williams and his family. Might prefer better ground in an ideal world, though. Verdict: 🏆🏆🏆

Conclusion

Corach Rambler heads the market as he bids to repeat last year’s success but he has to be taken on at the prices.

MEETINGOFTHEWATERS is the one for me after his run in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, with Panda Boy, second to the selection in Ireland over Christmas, expected to be a handful again.

Galia Des Liteaux looks a cracking each-way bet as she could relish a test such as this. Mahler Mission has to go well, while at a much bigger price The Goffer ran better than the finishing position suggest at Cheltenham and could surprise a few people.

1. MEETINGOFTHEWATERS

2. Panda Boy

3. Galia Des Liteaux

4. Mahler Mission

5. The Goffer

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