Final shortlist of tips for the 2023 Grand National [Updated 1:00pm 15/4/23]
This famous race takes place 5:15pm at Aintree on Saturday
Le Milos and The Big Dog were our ante-post selections
We added Delta Work and Diol Ker to our shortlist on Friday
Expired
Keith Donoghue riding Delta Work competes in the Cross Country Chase. (Getty)
The countdown is on ahead of the 2023 Grand National and millions of sports fans from around the world will tune in at 5:15pm on Saturday afternoon to watch horse racing's most famous race.
The final list of 40 runners has been finalised for this year's contest. On Friday, we published our four-horse shortlist of Grand National tips.
2023 Grand National Tips - Last Updates 1:00pm 15/4/23
An impressive winner of the Coral Gold Cup earlier in the season, Le Milos was only half-fit when he was narrowly beaten on his prep-run for Aintree at Kelso last month. Harry Skelton's mount is carrying a lovely weight and you can guarantee that Dan, who's won plenty of big ITV handicaps over the past few seasons, will have his star cherry ripe for this toughest of assignments.
The following month, I decided to back THE BIG DOG for Grand National glory. Peter Fahey's star has already been backed in from 25s to 16/1 since I backed him ante-post and, considering that Britain is a nation of dog lovers, I'm expecting Aidan Coleman's mount to be one of the most popular runners on the day of the race.
Despite his advancing age, The Big Dog has been in the form of his life this term. Fahey's ten-year-old secured back-to-back victories in the Munster National and the Troytown Handicap, ran a blinder to finish third under 12-00 in the Welsh Grand National, and was still travelling well in the Irish Gold Cup before he fell at the second-last. Coleman is a previous winner of the Becher Chase and finished second aboard Balko Des Flos in the 2021 Grand National, so he's an ideal partner for this hardy stayer.
Regular rider, Jack Kennedy is out injured, as is the talented Sam Ewing. Davy Russell, who has seemed a shadow of his former self since returning from retirement, will be aboard the Ronnie Bartlett-owned Galvin, with Harry Cobden, Jack Tudor and Jonjo O'Neill Jnr coming in for the other Elliott rides.
When I tipped up The Big Dog, Fahey had said that Keith Donoghue would be taking the ride at Aintree. So, when I saw Donoghue's name next to Delta Work's when the riders were confirmed, I rushed to back last year's third.
Delta Work has taken the Tiger Roll route back to Aintree. Elliott's ten-year-old looked just as good as ever at the Cheltenham Festival last month, where he managed to repel Galvin and successfully retain his Cross Country crown.
Elliott's star ran on well from too far off the pace to finish third at Aintree 12 months ago. Delta Work returns carrying five pounds less on his back and, if Keith Donoghue can find a more prominent early position, he has a fantastic chance of mounting a winning challenge.
Keith Donoghue riding Delta Work (maroon) clear the last to win The Glenfarclas Chase from Davy Russell and Galvin. (Getty)
Grand National 2023 Tips - Diol Ker
As it's the Grand National, I'll be having a fourth bet in Saturday's main event. I've backed three runners at shorter than 25/1, so for my final selections I'm going to delve much deeper into the market.
27 of the 40 confirmed runners are based in Ireland. Irish horses have dominated the Grand National in recent years, so it seems sensible to select another raider and the one who captures my imagination at a lengthy price is DIOL KER (80/1).
Noel Meade has always held this horse in the highest regard. As a hurdler, Diol Ker once beat Monkfish by seven lengths, placed a very close second in the 2021 Galmoy Hurdle and finished ninth in the Liverpool Hurdle that same year, where Sean Flanagan's mount didn't enjoy a smooth passage through the race.
Diol Ker has only managed to win one of his 11 starts over fences. That victory came at Naas last March, where Meade's nine-year-old held off Ronald Pump to win the Leinster National. With five-pound claimer Kieren Buckley in the saddle, Diol Ker came within a whisker of winning the lucrative Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, losing out to Real Steel by a short-head.
Meade has tried his stayer over further than three miles twice in his career so far. Diol Ker was well beaten in both last year's Irish Grand National and the recent Grand National Trial at Punchestown. Buckley's mount was, however, hampered badly by fallers in both of those races, so excuses can be made for those 30-length defeats. Diol Ker is a dependable jumper and he's been handed a lovely riding weight of 10-8. At 80/1, he could give punters a cracking run for their money.
Grand National 2023 Live Stream
If you want to watch Saturday's main event via a mobile or tablet, then make sure your check out our Grand National Live Stream page.
Verdict
Delta Work and Diol Ker are our final selections for the 2023 Grand National. Le Milos and The Big Dog were our ante-post tips.
Grand National 2023 Tip 1: Delta Work Straight Win @10/1 at bet365 - 10 Units
Grand National 2023 Tip 2: Le Milos Each-Way @16/1 at QuinnBet - 10 Units
Grand National 2023 Tip 3: The Big Dog Each-Way @16/1 at Hollywood bets - 10 Units
Grand National 2023 Tip 4: Diol Ker Each-Way @80/1 at Hollywood bets - 5 Units
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